Against All Odds
by Citcat
Summary: Lucas Scott made the biggest mistake of his life by choosing Peyton Sawyer over Brooke Davis. Four years later, Lucas returns to Tree Hill in hopes of getting back the life he once had with Brooke. Can Lucas and Brooke find their way back to each other? Or do the odds out weigh the love they once had for each other? *Picks up right after S4EP1* Brucas/Brulian
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**This story takes place right after Season 4 episode 1. Right where Brooke tells Lucas she can't do this anymore. So everything before that episode happened for the sake of this storyline. I hope you all like this story, as it is my first One Tree Hill (Brucas) story base. So please let me know what you think of my work. It is much appreciated. Thanks!**

**I recreated two scenes from season 3 episode 21 and season 4 episode 1, just to refresh your minds of what happens. After this I will be using some of the same scenes and scenarios but everything will be done different from the show. **

**Also, I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 1**

_I Have a Girlfriend, At Least I Used To…_

Brooke Davis sat in her baby blue convertible Volkswagen parked outside of Lucas Scott's house. Her hands gripped the steering wheel as she looked out the window at the window of his bedroom. The shades were down, but the light illuminated the room letting Brooke know he was home. She clenched the steering wheel tighter as she fought back the tears that dared to fall from her eyes. Her thoughts took her back to the other night.

_Brooke walked back onto the stage, where her best friend Peyton Sawyer sat on the make shift bed. They were cleaning up from the surprise wedding party that they had for Nathan and Haley. A group of them had acted out the love story of Nathan and Haley. Peyton and Lucas were the last scene of the night. It was the proposal scene. Peyton had a hard time getting through the scene, but was able to pull it off. The show was a great hit with everyone. _

"_Way to go with the tears P Sawyer, you brought down the house!" Brooke smiled as she took a seat next to Peyton on the bed, who was wiping away her tears. _

"_Brooke," Peyton turned to face her best friend. _

_Peyton paused for a long moment. In the moment she contemplated telling Brooke what was on her mind. The possibility of loosing her best friend, and what it seemed like, her only friend. She stared into Brooke's deep brown eyes, as tear began to well up in her own eyes._

"_I think I still have feelings for Lucas." _

_There was an even longer pause between the two girls' conversation. Brooke was speechless. She wasn't sure if she had heard Peyton correctly. She searched her mind for any words that she could form together to speak. There was no way Peyton could do this to her, again! She could forgive her the first time this happened, but not a second time. Peyton knew that, didn't she? Would Peyton really throw away the friendship they worked so hard on to repair from the first Brooke-Lucas-Peyton love triangle?_

"_You mean you care for him, as a friend?"_

"_No," Peyton shook her head no. "I mean more than that."_

_The two girls stared at one another, for what seemed to be the longest five minutes of both of their lives. Peyton waiting for a response from Brooke. Waiting for her to say something. Anything. She needed to know what Brooke was feeling. Brooke couldn't muster up anything to say to Peyton, other than the obscenities that ran through her mind. Brooke felt like a pile of bricks were placed on her shoulders, while Peyton looked to have had just got the weight off of her shoulders. It was as if Peyton passed the weight of the situation to Brooke. The ball was in Brooke's court now, and it was her move._

Brooke ran a hand through her hair as she took a deep breathe. She stepped out of her car and made the walk up to Lucas' side door to his bedroom. Standing there, she debated on if she was making the right decision by doing this. She knew it was something she needed to do, in order to protect her heart from being broken all over again. Brooke knocked once on the door and opened it walking right in. Her eyes fell on Peyton who was sitting on Lucas' bed and on Lucas who sat on a chair next to his bed with his laptop resting on the bed. She stood there staring at the two of them with her hand on her hip waiting for some sort of explanation from Lucas.

"Hey." Lucas spoke from his spot on the chair. He made hand gestures between himself and Peyton. "We were just…"

"I'd like to talk to my boyfriend." Brooke stated cutting Lucas off from finishing his sentence. She then looked over at Peyton. "Alone."

Peyton looked over at Lucas as she slowly got up off of his bed. She gave him that "I'm sorry" look. He looked at Peyton as he took a deep breath as he prepared himself for the wrath of Brooke seeing the two of them hanging out together. Lucas knew that Brooke was still rather upset with both Peyton and himself about the kiss that took place between them. He thought that Peyton was dying, and he kissed her. It meant nothing to him, even though he had no clue that it meant everything to Peyton. As Peyton walked over to the door to leave Brooke stepped in front of her before Peyton could leave.

"Nice job not hitting on him." Brooke spat as she looked at Peyton with hateful eyes.

"Luke, I'll get those cds later." Peyton smiled as she paused. "Thanks for the sex!"

Peyton smiled at Lucas and she then turned and smiled at Brooke. She laughed slightly and rolled her eyes. Brooke's mouth opened a gap not knowing how to respond to the blonde's comment. Leaving Brooke speechless again, Peyton smiled as she stepped out of the room and leaving Lucas and Brooke alone. Lucas cursed Peyton under his breath for her sarcastic remark. That was the last thing he needed in Brooke's head as they were on shaky grounds.

"She's joking!" Lucas quickly told Brooke as he stood up and pointed towards Peyton leaving.

Brooke remained silent after hearing Lucas speak. She shut the door as she stared at the wall for a moment. She still felt like backing down and caving in when she saw Lucas. This was going to be the hardest thing she'd ever have to do, but would turn out to be the best thing she would ever do in order to save herself a harder heartbreak.

"I was trying to call you." Lucas broke the silence that filled the room.

"You mean, when you weren't hanging out with Peyton?" Brooke replied, putting up her defensive walls around her heart.

"Come on Brooke, you never called me back." Lucas defended his actions of spending time with Peyton.

"Now you know how I feel." Brooke retaliated as she stood in the room with both hands on her hips.

Lucas and Brooke stood there staring at one another. He knew that she was right in what she had to say. Brooke had proved her point and there was no argument that Lucas could make against it. He stared at her, wondering if he should walk over to her and wrap her up in his arms and tell her how much he loves her. Something in his heart told him to refrain from doing so. Something wasn't right, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Why did he have this feeling that something horrible was about to happen, and that there was no way he could stop it?

Brooke waited for Lucas to speak on her point, but when all she heard was silence, she knew that he knew she was right. There was nothing Lucas could say to explain himself that would change her mind. She had her mind made up and there was no turning back. Brooke waited for him to argue his point, but as he continued to stare at her, she broke the silence.

"Listen," Brooke began. "I know it's been difficult for you lately, losing Keith and your heart condition and giving up basketball."

This time Lucas broke the eye contact that he shared with Brooke. Again, she was right in her point that she was making. He looked away from her. He looked down at the floor figuring that was the best place to look at the moment. He had to look anywhere but at her. A part of him deep down in his heart, knew what was going to happen at the end of this conversation, but he refused to believe that that would really happen. Not after everything they had been through together. Just like she named off, loosing Keith, his heart condition and having to give up basketball. Brooke was there for him through all of that.

"I feel like…" Brooke searched for the right words to say. "I've been keeping you close to me to try and protect you from those things."

Lucas now brought his eyes back up to Brooke and locked eyes with her. He could see sorrow and sadness in her eyes. He no longer saw the happiness that he once knew he made her feel in her sparkling brown eyes. He could tell she was holding back tears, that were fighting there hardest to spill over her eyelids. He still couldn't find anything to say, as he continued to stay silent. How could he say anything to her? She clearly had thought about this for a long time.

"Like I'm hanging on to the two of us for you." Brooke fought herself to speak. "But not for me."

The only thing that ran through Lucas' head was the kiss between Peyton and himself. This had to be about that. It couldn't be about anything else, could it? Lucas needed to make things right somehow. He searched his brain for something to tell Brooke. To let her know that he loves her, and only her.

"Look, I'm sorry I kissed Peyton." Lucas finally spoke after his long silence as he sat back down in his chair, his arms thrown up in the air for a brief second. "I should have told you."

"It's not about that Luke." Brooke breathed in. "It's not, I…"

Brooke was now at a loss of words. She knew that their last argument was about Lucas kissing Peyton. Even though a very small part of the kiss was about this, there was a much bigger picture here. This was going off of Lucas and Peyton, Peyton and Lucas. The two seemed to always be connected and drawn to one another. No matter how much time was put in between them. Brooke was tired of being the in between person for both of them. When Peyton had feelings for Lucas she'd stop at anything to be with him. When Lucas had feelings for Peyton, he stopped at nothing to be with Peyton. Brooke learned that the hard way, as she was the heartbroken victim of the disastrous relationship of Lucas and Peyton. She finally found some way of explaining her thoughts to Lucas, as she walked over to where he sat. She sat down on his bed, trying to forget that Peyton had been sitting on the bed previously.

"I mean, I thought that it was, but this is not about her." Brooke finally was able to let the words spill from her mouth. "This is about me."

Lucas locked eyes with Brooke again as she paused. There were so many emotions flowing through both of them. Brooke could see the confusion in his eyes as to what they were trying to clear up. Her heart was starting to break as she stared into his icy blue eyes that were telling her that he loved her. This was going to be much harder for her to do then she thought. Lucas knew what was coming. He could no longer ignore what his gut was telling him. He listened to her, but was spaced out as he searched for something to stop her. To make her change her mind.

"I love you Lucas."

He smiled sadly up at her as he placed his hand on her thigh. His mind thinking that maybe he was crazy and that she wasn't going down the path of breaking his heart. He loved Brooke so much that it drove him crazy. He never loved anyone as much as he loved her. Call him crazy, but he truly believed that Brooke was "the one" for him. She just had to be "the one". How could he explain that to her. Just as he was about to try, Brooke spoke out.

"And I probably always will."

Lucas' smile turned into a frown, as now he was 100% percent certain that Brooke was about to break up with him. He searched his brain quicker for something to say. He had to say anything. He couldn't lose Brooke, at least not like this. They belonged together, not apart. Didn't Brooke realize that?

"But we go days, without having a meaningful conversation." Brooke continued. "And I used to miss you so much when that happened. But it never seemed like you missed me."

Brooke stopped talking, giving Lucas a chance to fight her point and opinion. She gave him a chance to fight for her. He stared at her, and as words stopped leaving her mouth, he knew this was his chance to speak. He had to find the perfect thing to say in order for her to stay and not leave him. Lucas broke their eye contact and looked to the ground as he racked his brain. For wanting to be a writer, you'd think that he'd know exactly what to say. But at that moment he forgot everything that he knew.

"And I guess because of it." Brooke fought back the tears that threatened to fall. "I stopped missing you."

Hearing Brooke tell him that she stopped missing him, he immediately looked back up at her. He locked eyes with her yet again. This couldn't be happening. Why was this happening?

"I mean, look at today." Brooke spoke sadly.

Lucas stared at her brown eyes as thoughts consumed his head. He began to tune her out as she spoke to him. His mind completely blank and not comprehending a word she was speaking. He mindlessly stared at her, almost as if he was staring through her. He was no longer there in the conversation as she was still speaking to him.

_I guess I should have said something. Anything. I mean for a guy who wants to be a writer and suddenly it seemed like no words had ever been written. But when someone tells you that they somehow stopped missing you, you're pretty much screwed no matter what you say. _

He shook his head no as he knew what was coming next, as if that would change her mind from walking out of his life.

"It shouldn't be like this Luke."

"Brooke…"

"I'm sorry." Brooke whispered out. "I can't do this anymore."

Hearing those dreadful words coming from her made his heart ache. Where did he go wrong? How did they manage to lose each other along the way. When did they stop being an "us" and started being "alone"?

_See, but there had to be something. Right? _

Lucas couldn't speak as Brooke kissed his cheek and stood from the bed. She slowly made her way over to the door. She placed her hand on the knob. She was giving him a chance to stop her.

_Something that no one had ever said in the history of the world. Something that could change this. _

"Brooke…" Lucas spoke as the words barely escaped his lips.

Brooke stood still for a moment as she turned around slowly to look at Lucas. Both were fighting back the tears that neither one of them wanted to shed in front of the other. They stared into one another's eyes for what seemed to be forever. She patiently waited for him to speak his mind. Even though she already had her mind made up and she was set. There was no turning back around. This was it and it had to be done.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too."

And with those final words, Brooke shook her head. A part of her wanted him to fight for her, and tell her she was wrong. But because he didn't do that, she knew that Lucas knew she was right. Her heart breaking piece by piece, she left Lucas' house with a few tears falling from her eyes. Lucas sat in his chair frozen. Staring at the empty space where Brooke had been standing only a few seconds ago. He couldn't believe that's all he could say to her. How could he not find something to say to the love of his life. He let her walk out of his life and he felt his heart shattering inside his chest. Somewhere a long the line, he messed up and he knew that. The words "I'm sorry" rang through his head.

_That wasn't it._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**This story takes place right after Season 4 episode 1. Right where Brooke tells Lucas she can't do this anymore. So everything before that episode happened for the sake of this storyline. I hope you all like this story, as it is my first One Tree Hill (Brucas) story base. So please let me know what you think of my work. It is much appreciated. Thanks!**

**Also, I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 2**

_Why did you have to leave? Why did you have to set me free? Why did you have to go?_

Lucas sat on the bleachers at the river court with a case of beer that he had purchased with his fake ID. He was on his tenth can out of a pack of 12, not including the pervious beers he had before this case. This was his last resort in his mind. He had tried calling Brooke all day, but to no avail, she never answered. At one point he swore that she had turned her phone off just to avoid his calls, as he wouldn't get a dial tone, but go straight to her voice mail. He still couldn't believe that Brooke had broken up with him and he didn't quite understand why she did. It was all jumbled up in his head. There had to be some way he could win her back. If only he knew how to. Lucas' eyes darted up to the star filled sky. It was late and it was starting to get cold, but he didn't mind. He was numb to everything. If only shooting stars existed in reality, then he'd make his wish and Brooke would be back in his arms. He took another long drink of his beer, finishing off the can. He tossed the can on the ground where the others laid amongst the ground. He reached for another can and opened it, downing the liquid quickly. The more he thought of Brooke and how she broke up with him, the more he wanted to drink. Lucas pulled out his cell phone and looked at the blank screen. He must have left her a million messages, and not one did she return. His finger traced the picture of Brooke on his phone. She was so beautiful. He wiped away a tear that had begun to fall and he dialed her number again.

"_Hey, It's Brooke! You know what to do! Oh, and Lucas, if this is you, I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"_

The ache in Lucas' heart grew larger as he listened to her recorded voice on her voicemail. She still hadn't changed her greeting. Her phone was still shut off. He hung up without leaving a message and he gripped tightly onto his phone. There was a sudden feeling in him that wanted to just throw his phone across the river court and watch it shatter to pieces, just like how his heart felt. Instead, he downed the second to last can of his beer and threw the can half way across the court. The can bounced off of a shoe. Lucas looked up at the blonde curly hair woman walking towards him. His eyes stayed focused on Peyton who was now closing the space between the two of them. She sat down next to him and looked at him for a moment. Her eyes fell on to the case of beer sitting next to Lucas. She reached her hand into the case, and was shocked to see that the box was empty. Her eyes filled with sadness and sympathy as she looked back up at Lucas who was downing the last beer.

"Lucas, how many of these did you drink yourself?" Peyton questioned as she tossed the box to the ground with the other cans.

"Let me see." Lucas replied taking the last gulp of his current beer and then tossing the can to the cluttered ground. "The entire case."

"Luke, you shouldn't be drinking like this!" Peyton turned her body to face him. "This could mess with your HCM."

"I'll be fine." Lucas ran his hand over his face.

"What happened?"

Lucas looked over at Peyton and stared at her for a moment. His mind started to slowly stop thinking about Brooke for the moment, as he started to think of Peyton. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes never leaving her. Peyton Sawyer, the girl whom he'd had a crush on since the 5th grade. There was always something about her that drew Lucas to her. Was it her taste in music that they shared? Or was it her broodiness just like he had? There was no denying it, Peyton was a beautiful woman and he'd always be some what attracted to her. He felt his heart start to ache all over again, as seeing Peyton started to remind him of Brooke. The two girls were best friends, or at least they used to be. He wasn't sure at the moment, as the two seemed to be at each others throats. The blonde woman reminded him of the pain he had caused Brooke when they were first together. How he ever cheated on Brooke with Peyton in the first place was a question he was still trying to answer for himself. Peyton and Lucas had a very strong connection that was pulling them closer, and in that process he hurt Brooke in the worst possible way.

"Lucas?" Peyton waved her hand in front of him. "You zoned out on me there."

"Brooke broke up with me." Lucas let out as he shook his head from his thoughts.

"She broke up with you?" Peyton questioned with curiosity, though she had a strong feeling she knew why Brook did. "Did she say why she broke up with you?"

"She said she loved me, but she didn't miss me anymore." Lucas sighed reliving the nightmare that only just happened yesterday. "She said it wasn't because of you."

"Me?" Peyton eyed the fellow blonde she sat next to.

"You know, because of our kiss." Lucas scratched the back of his neck. "If that's not it, then there has to be something else that she's not telling me."

"I'm sorry Luke." Peyton bit her bottom lip as her thoughts we confirmed.

He shrugged as he stood up from the bleachers and stumbled down them slightly. As he stood in the pile of cans he looked around at his surroundings. The beers taking effect on him, as he knew he was no longer buzzed. An odd feeling of comfort washed over him, as he started to feel numb to Brooke and anything that was related to her. Lucas laughed out loud in a fit of laughter for no reason. Only because he hadn't laughed all day. His heart raced as he started to walk in the direction he'd take to go to his house. He couldn't walk a straight line and he continued to stumble around. Peyton shook her head as she breathed in a sigh. She rolled her eyes as she got off the bleachers and quickly went to Lucas' side. She grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulder. He in turn leaned on her for support as she guided him to her car. When they reached it, Lucas tried to lean on the car, but leaned to far back and fell into the back seat of Peyton's car since the top was down. Peyton couldn't help but laugh along with Lucas, who was rambling nonsense now. She walked over to the driver's side and got in the car and started up the engine. She looked at the back where Lucas still laid in the same spot, his feet kicked up on the edge of the car.

"I'm taking you back to my place." Peyton spoke. "Karen will kill you and me both if I bring you home like this!"

"Whatever you say Miss Sawyer." Lucas rambled as he stared at the stars in the sky as the car took off.

XoX

_Not every relationship is meant to last forever, And sometimes the best thing you can do, is to take a step back and give yourself a chance to breathe._

Brooke sat in a booth at the all ages club Tric stirring her drink with her straw. The club was the only place she was able to hide from everyone. The last thing she wanted was to be confronted by her friends as to why she broke up with Lucas. It was safe to say she was avoiding him too. She couldn't bare to see him, because if she did, she may take back her decision of breaking up with him. Brooke needed to stick with her decision, she couldn't fall back into his arms like everything was ok again. When it wasn't. She glanced over at her phone, which was shut off. She had turned it off after the millionth call she got from Lucas. Why couldn't he just leave her alone and accept the fact that they were finished? She let him go, so now Lucas was free to do whatever he pleased. Brooke knew it was only a matter of time before Lucas and Peyton became an item. What Peyton wants, Peyton gets. Simple as that.

"Brooke!"

The brunette haired girl looked up from her drink that she had been staring at to see one of the last people she wanted to see. Haley James-Scott. Don't get her wrong, she loved the girl to death. They had become quite close, but that didn't change the fact that Haley was Lucas Scott's best friend and sister-in-law. Her mind quickly thought up some random excuses and reasons as to her actions the pervious day. She couldn't tell Haley the truth. Anything Brooke told the intelligent young woman would most likely get back to Lucas. That was the last thing she needed. She didn't want to tell Lucas that the reason for their break up was due to the fact that Peyton Sawyer was in love with him. Had she told him that in the first place, Lucas and Peyton most definitely would have probably been together quicker then a blink of an eye. Brooke forced herself to smile at Haley who was quickly approaching, though she wasn't in the mood to do so. She watched as the short happy girl took a seat opposite of Brooke. The girls shared a look between each other. Haley was trying to read Brooke, but she couldn't pick up on anything. That was the one thing she disliked about Brooke, she had perfected the art of hiding her emotions. No one could ever really tell what Brooke was feeling, with the exception of Peyton and Lucas. Whom Haley begun to think even those two were starting to not be able to read Miss Davis.

"What are you doing over here all alone?" Haley spoke the first words.

"I'm just having a little bit of me time." Brooke lied biting her bottom lip.

"Really?" Haley questioned not believing the brunette girl sitting across from her.

"Yeah, Rachel has a guy over." Brooke continued. "I really didn't want to be around when the guy got lucky."

"Well you didn't have to hang out by yourself." Haley stated as a matter of fact. "So, I'm offering you my services. Free of charge."

"Thanks Tutor Girl!" Brooke couldn't help but laugh. "But that wont be necessary."

"Why not?" Haley eyed her friend. "Are you afraid that I will question you about Lucas?"

"No!" Brooke replied in a rush. "I just don't want to talk about that."

"You know I'm here for you too." Haley stated as she put her hand on Brooke's hand. "Luke may be my best friend, but you have become my best friend too."

"Hales…" Brooke really didn't want to be talking about Lucas.

"Brooke, I'm not going to say anything to him." Haley squeezed her hand. "I promise."

Brooke stared at Haley for a moment, contemplating on if she should open up to her. She had begun to think of Haley as a best friend. The two had grown extremely close since she had started dating Lucas. Brooke's eyes went back to staring at her drink as she continued to think. She knew she could trust Haley with her life, but due to her past history with best friends, she was hesitant on putting herself fully out there. She didn't want to get hurt again, in any way, shape or form. Even though Haley had a heart of gold and Brooke knew that, she wasn't ready to let her into the mind of Brooke Davis. She was strong and independent, she didn't need a friend. She could handle this all on her own. That's what she had been doing since she was 8 years old in the first place. A sudden feeling came over her as she felt the presence of someone. Her eyes diverted to the tall, short brown haired, brown eyed stranger that was making his way towards the table. Saved by the guy!

"Hi, I'm Julian." The handsome male out stretched his hand to Brooke. "Would you care to dance with me?"

She played with the idea for a moment, biting her bottom lip. Did she decline his offer and stay at the table and tell Haley what was going on through her mind? Should she put herself out there and have trust in Haley to honor her promise of not saying a word to Lucas about any of their conversation? Or did she accept his offer and dance the night away with a stranger? Who just happened to be good looking as well. Brooke weighed out the pros and cons. Her eyes darted from Julian to Haley and back to Julian again. She had been hurt one too many times, and today wasn't going to be the day she put her guard down again.

"I'd love to." Brooke took Julian's hand as she stood from her seated position. "But know I'm not looking for anything serious."

"Neither am I." Julian smiled at her.

"I'll talk to you another time Haley." Brooke turned her attention to Julian. "I'm Brooke by the way."

"Brooke…" Haley grabbed her arm before she could take off to the dance floor.

"What?" Brooke eyed the petite girl holding on to her.

"An amazing person once told me that 'People that are meant to be together, always find their way in the end'" Haley stared into Brooke's eyes.

"Not every relationship is meant to last forever." Brooke spoke so only Haley could hear her. "And sometimes the best thing you can do, is to take a step back and give yourself a chance to breathe."

Brooke gave Haley a weak smile, as she waved her free hand at her. She herself had spoken that quote on numerous occasions. At one point she actually believed it was true and possible. She told Lucas that line about his mom and Keith. Though the two didn't end up together, Karen was blessed with a baby from Keith before he was taken from the world. She even used the same line when she was giving Haley advice about her struggling marriage with Nathan. But how could that line stay true to it's meaning, when Lucas and herself didn't work out? They were no strangers to each other and love. It wasn't the first time around for them. They had their chance at something amazing. Twice! Both times it was destroyed. Even if she was the one to end it, she had her reasons to and they were good reasons. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she looked at the man in front of her as they reached the dance floor. Her eyes scanned him up and down for a slight moment as she began to move to the beat of the music.

The two brunettes danced for what seemed to be hours, but in all actuality it was only about 45 minutes. Brooke had let herself go, and just have fun and have a good time. She wasn't going to dwell on her decision anymore. Moving on was a process, a process that took time. Time to heal. She was allowing herself to heal by having a good time. She swayed her hips from side to side as she backed up into Julian, who had his hands on her hips. They both were enjoying the other's company. It was as if they had an unspoken understanding of one another. It was hard to miss, as to people watching them, it seemed as if Julian and Brooke were the only two people on the dance floor. The song started to fade out and fade into another song. At that moment both Brooke and Julian stopped dancing, as if they knew the other wanted to rest. They made their way to the bar, and Julian order them a couple of sodas. After ordering, he turned his body to fully face Brooke who stood next to him.

"You're a great dancer." Julian smiled at her.

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself." Brooke looked up at him.

"I'm not that great." He laughed as he grabbed the two sodas that the bartender placed on the counter. "Why don't we take these over there?"

"Sure." Brooke followed Julian to an open table as they both sat down.

"So, why did you agree to dance with me?" Julian sipped his soda.

"Why did you ask me to dance with you?" Brooke eyed the guy sitting across from her.

"Truthfully?" He asked looking up at her.

"MmHmm.." Brooke took a drink of her soda.

"I felt drawn to you." Julian answered. "I walked in, not knowing anyone in this town. I scanned the place and I saw you. Before you think anything, I'm not trying to pick you up." He laughed as he got a laugh out of her. "But when I saw you, I just felt compelled to get to know you. Something told me to talk to you."

"And you're sure you're not hitting on me?" Brooke laughed.

"I just got out of a serious relationship." He said diverting his eyes from hers. "I'm only looking for a friend, as I don't know anyone here."

"I'm sorry." Brooke frowned. "I know how you're feeling. I just got out of a serious relationship too. I wouldn't mind being friends with you. We could help each other move on."

"See, my instinct was right about you." Julian chuckled trying to lighten up the mood.

"Ha ha.." Brooke rolled her eyes with a smile. "If you don't mind me asking, why come to a small town where you don't know anyone?"

"I am visiting my grandparents." Julian shrugged. "I'm originally from California."

"Aw, I get it." Brooke eyed the brown eyed man in front of her. "You ran away from everything that reminded you of your ex."

"I guess you could say that in a way." Julian sighed. "What about you?"

"Unfortunately, I live in a small town." Brooke began. "So, I'm pretty much stuck running in circles, as everything has memories."

"Everything?" Julian questioned. "Even this place?"

"Most definitely this place." Brooke frowned, recalling the memory of Peyton confessing her feelings for Lucas to her in this location.

"Why don't we get out of here then?" Julian offered. "We can take a walk and get to know each other. Spill the details of our messy love lives."

"How do I know you wont kidnap me and take me into the woods and murder me?" Brooke raised an eyebrow.

"You don't." Julian smirked as he stood up. "So what's it going to be Brooke?"

She rolled her eyes with a small laugh as she stood up from her seat and linked arms with Julian. They smiled at each other as they exited the club. Brooke couldn't explain it, but something inside of her told her that this was going to turn into a beautiful friendship.

XoX

_Broken and confused, It's time we both knew, Can't stop what I started, Old habits die hard._

"Peyton!" Lucas yelled, as he looked around at the artwork of people on her walls.

"What?" Peyton raced to her bedroom to see Lucas wide eyed staring at the walls.

"They wont stop looking at me!" Lucas answered turning around. "They're everywhere!"

"Luke, you do know it's just a painting right?" Peyton tried to hold in her laugh at her friend's drunken state.

"Duh, of course I knew that!" Lucas shifted his eyes around the room. "But that doesn't mean they need to stare at me!"

"Oh Luke, what are we going to do with you." Peyton smiled at the blonde in front of her.

"I have an idea…" Lucas trailed off as he turned his back to Peyton grabbing a pillow.

"What's that?" Peyton questioned her eyes following him.

"PILLOW FIGHT!" Lucas laughed as he hit Peyton with a pillow.

The two blondes laughed as they hit each other with pillows. In that moment, all of Lucas' pain was gone, for the most part. Brooke was the furthest thing from his mind, that is with the help of the numerous amounts of alcohol that was in his system. His heart raced quickly as both Lucas and Peyton fell onto her bed out of breathe. They both laid there trying to regain their composure, as both still were laughing. He looked over at the green eyed girl in front of him. There was a point in time he thought that he could have been in a serious relationship with her. She was beautiful and fun. Her eyes sparkled as he stared into them. As if he had pressed the rewind button, he leaned in and kissed her soft pink lips.

"Lucas?" Peyton pulled herself back and pushing him away slightly.

"Come on Peyton." Lucas scooted closer to her.

"You're drunk." Peyton frowned, even if she really wanted this to happen.

"I'm buzzed." Lucas laughed trying to cover up his lie. He knew he was fully drunk. "Big difference."

"I can't Lucas." Peyton bit her bottom lip. "Not like this."

"Peyton, we connect." Lucas looked deep into her eyes. "We can be something special."

Peyton sat there looking in Lucas' eyes. Her heart wanting him as her own. She contemplated it for a short while. Was this what she really wanted? She had told Brooke she still had feelings for Lucas, and Brooke broke up with him. He was a free man and able to do anything he wanted. He could be with who ever he wanted. He was choosing to be with her in this moment. A plus in the fact that she was in love with him. Then there was her friendship with Brooke. Did she just dismiss the hard work that it took for both girls to regain their friendship back from the pervious time? Peyton's heart was more conflicted then ever, being that she finally had a chance with Lucas Scott. She looked deeper into his eyes, and she swore she could she the possibility of rejection in his eyes. How much more rejection could his heart take? She didn't want to be the cause of him being even more upset and depressed.

She leaned into Lucas and kissed him hard and deep. He in turn returned the kiss with just as much passion. His heart raced as he leaned Peyton back on to the bed, as he laid on top of her. The two made out, with things getting hot and heavy. In the back of his mind, he knew that this was wrong, but he needed to feel needed and loved. Clearly she wasn't Brooke, but she was someone close to him who cared. If he couldn't be with Brooke, why not be with Peyton. His hands worked the hem of Peyton's shirt as he took it off of her body, exposing her bare skin. He paused and looked at Peyton for a moment, before pushing Brooke out of his mind and putting all of his focus on Peyton.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**This story takes place right after Season 4 episode 1. Right where Brooke tells Lucas she can't do this anymore. So everything before that episode happened for the sake of this storyline. I hope you all like this story, as it is my first One Tree Hill (Brucas) story base. So please let me know what you think of my work. It is much appreciated. Thanks!**

**Also, I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

_Thank you to dianehermans, GoodGirlGoneBad1984, and bjq for the wonderful reviews! Also thank you to all of you who have read my story and favorite and alerted! You guys are what keeps me inspired and motivated! _

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 3**

_**2 Months Later**_

_I miss your smile, your touch, your voice, your hug… everything_

It had only been a week since the gang from Tree Hill High had graduated. It was your typical graduation ceremony. At the end of the night, everyone had gone to their last high school party. Their last hurrah! All the seniors from the graduating class attended the party that was held out in a cabin out in the country area. Nathan, Lucas, Skills, Mouth, Haley, Brooke, Rachel and Peyton had all went to the party. Brooke and Peyton hadn't spoken a word to each other since Peyton's revelation of having feelings for Lucas. It killed both girls a little bit inside, as they graduated on bad terms. They both had dreams of that day together and being side by side. That was something they would never get back. Besides the two girls, Lucas hadn't spoken to Brooke either. Though he did attempt to try and talk to her, but she continued to avoid and ignore his advances. Time was flying by and people were slowly starting to migrate out of Tree Hill for colleges and careers.

Brooke laid in her bed staring at the ceiling. Making possible shapes, as if she were connecting the dots, while her mind ran free. She had a huge decision to make about her life and future. Just yesterday she had gotten a letter from the corporate office of Victoria Secret. They wanted her designs and they wanted her to be in New York as of like yesterday. Along with the offer, they offered her a full scholarship to NYU. That way she could still continue to work for them. It was a dream come true and she was ecstatic about it. Though she felt like something, or someone was missing from it all. She bit her bottom lip as her mind traveled to Lucas. Her high school sweetheart, or at least that is what he'd be known as now. She hadn't spoken to him in two months, and she was curious as to how he was doing. There was no denying it, she missed Lucas. She missed him a lot! Her heart wanted and ached for Lucas, but her head wouldn't let her be played a fool again. She had heard the rumors about Lucas and Peyton hooking up, but she had yet to confirm them. Her heart didn't need the confirmation, she already knew it was true. Just hearing either one of them admitting it would kill her spirit. Brooke's heart sank at the picture her mind created of Lucas with Peyton. Picturing this image when ever she thought of Lucas was supposed to help her move on from their relationship, but it was clearly not working. It only made her hate Peyton more and miss Lucas even more. A long and heavy sigh escaped her lips as the fiery red head entered the bedroom.

"I know you are not in here dwelling over Lucas Scott!" Rachel stood in the door way with her hands on her hips. "Again!"

"No!" Brooke spoke softly and bluntly, the tone in her voice giving her lie away.

"Lies!" Rachel shook her head as she walked over and jumped on top of Brooke.

"What are you doing?" Brooke laughed slightly, a smile forming.

"Well…" Rachel smirked, pausing for a moment. "I was coming up here to give you a present, but now I don't think you deserve it."

"A present?" Brooke eyed the brown eyed woman in front of her. "I like presents!"

"Then get your fat ass up and come down stairs." Rachel winked as she crawled off of Brooke.

Brooke made a beeline for the stairs, curious to know what her gift was. Once she reached the staircase, before running down the stairs, she saw him standing there with a big bright red bow on his head. Julian Baker stood at the bottom of the stairs. A giant smile formed on her face as she realized who the tall brunette man was. A giggle escaped her lips as she ran down the stairs and straight into his arms. Instantly hugging each other and not letting go. They hadn't seen each other for a little over a month. After they had met at Tric, they became instant friends. They were there for each other to help one another out in order for them to move on from their messy break ups. Julian had stayed in Tree Hill for a good month before heading back to California to face his ex and all the memories of her. In that month, Brooke and Julian had become extremely close. The day that Julian had left to go back home, Brooke knew she'd see him again, but just wasn't sure when that day would be. They talked every day after he left, whether it be on the phone, texting, skype or any other form of communication. You name it, they used it. There hug was interrupted as Rachel pulled the two apart from one another as she walked between them.

"You're welcome." Rachel rolled her eyes with a laugh as she passed through them.

"What are you doing here?" Brooke ignored her friend's sarcastic but heartfelt comment.

"Well, I heard you kept moping around in your bedroom." Julian started. "When you got some amazing news, so I could only wonder why the moping?"

"I'm going to kill Rachel!" Brooke growled in a playful tone.

"You can't, she paid for me to be here." Julian chuckled. "So, we kind of owe her."

"Oh great, she will most definitely hold this against me in the future when she wants something." Brooke smiled as she led Julian upstairs to her room.

"So what's this moping around about?" He questioned getting straight to the point.

"Julian!" Brooke whined. "Do we have to talk about that now?"

"Brooke!" Julian mocked her whining. "Yes now, so we can get it out of the way."

"Fine!" Brooke pouted sticking her bottom lip out and sitting on the bed next to Julian.

"Spill."

"Lucas."

"Still?"

"What can I say Julian." Brooke frowned as sadness became apparent in her eyes. "I love him. He was my world!"

"Brooke, do you _love _him or are you _in love _with him?"

"I'm in love with him." Brooke confessed for the first time since she had broken up with Lucas. "God, I'm so desperately in love with him and I don't even think he knows it.""Then you need to tell him." Julian put his arm around his friend.

"I can't." Brooke let a tear slip down his face. "He's with Peyton now."

"So…" Julian pulled her in for a hug. "He was yours first, so doesn't that give you something over that dumb girl code all girls have?"

"Julian!" Brooke laughed through her tears. "I could never do what Peyton did to me."

"And that's why you are such an amazing person!" Julian smiled at her. "Though if you are in love with Lucas, and he makes you feel this way, even when you two aren't together, then you need to tell him. If you don't tell him, you'll live with all of the what ifs and all of the regrets."

"So, what…" Brooke thought out loud. "I just walk up to him and be like 'Hey Luke, I'm in love with you still!' I don't think so."

"Well of course not like that dummy!" Julian nudged Brooke softly.

"I can't put myself out there again to get hurt."

"Then give him the choice."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I already know you are going to New York." Julian smirked as Brooke gave him an excuse me facial expression. "We'll be talking about that later, and you know I will convince you into going. But anyway, go talk to him. Tell him how you feel and tell him when you are leaving. If he shows up then he feels the same about you. If he doesn't show, then at least you know where you stand and you can finally be able to move on."

"You're the best!" Brooke hugged him again. "If it wasn't for you, I'd probably still be laying around moping."

"Yeah, I know!" Julian smirked with cockiness. "Now, this New York thing."

XoX

_Looking back and wondering where it all went wrong._

Lucas laid on his back on the cement pavement at the river court, staring up at the bright blue sky, that seemed so endless and full of possibilities. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with his life. His mother Karen and her boyfriend Andy we're leaving to tour the world on Andy's boat in a couple of days, before it was time for Karen to go into labor with Lily. They invited him to come along, and he declined. He wasn't sure what he was going to do. He had been accepted to quite a few colleges, but he had yet to accept one of their offers. There was a part of him that was hoping Brooke would have spoken to him now, but he was slowly coming to realize that that was probably never going to happen. At least not any time soon. His heart ached for her, and with every passing day, his heart only grew more fond of the bombshell brunette. He originally had planned on going to a school close to where Brooke was going, if not the same college, but that didn't work out. He didn't even know where she was going. A sigh escaped his lips as his thoughts turned into Peyton. He hadn't spoken to her in two months as well. Ever since what happened between them. His mind traveled back to that day two months ago, as he put his arm under his head.

_Lucas groaned in his sleep as light began to fill the once dark bedroom. He tried to cover his face with his hands, but the sun still peaked through the cracks of his fingers. Sighing, he grabbed the pillow he was using and pulled it from under his head and placed it on top of his face. A smile of victory swept over his face as the room became dark again. As quick as the smile had formed on his face, it disappeared and turned into a look of confusion as he felt a leg rub up against his own. He laid still for a while, thinking he was dreaming, but he could still feel the warmth of the other person next to him. He tried to think back to the pervious night. What happened? Everything was still hazy to him as he tried to bring the pieces together. Slowly, he remembered drinking. A lot! More then he probably should have. He was at the river court, wishing for Brooke and drowning out his sorrows in a 12 pack of beer. He opened his eyes with the pillow still on top of his face. They widen as he came to the realization of what exactly had happened last night. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as he lifted the blanket, praying that he was fully clothed underneath. A look of guilt filled his face as he tried to quickly pull the covers back down to cover his naked body, but instead he ended up slipping and rolling out of the bed, as the blanket stayed on the bed covering a very naked Peyton._

"_Shit!" Lucas mumbled loudly, but tried to avoid waking the blonde._

_He looked up and noticed that Peyton had readjusted her sleeping position. Thankfully she stayed asleep. His eyes darted around the room looking for his clothes. He spotted his boxers, and quickly crawled over to them. Grabbing them, he slid them on and stood up. Scratching the back of his head he looked around the room for his jeans and shirt. His eyes landed on his jeans that were tossed over the computer chair. As he grabbed them, he noticed Peyton's bra hanging on the computer screen. How they managed that, he didn't know. Slipping his faded blue jeans on, he scanned the room again. Where was his shirt? He tip toed around the room looking, but to no avail, no shirt. Lucas ran a hand over his face as he looked at Peyton again. He tilted his head slightly to the side as he stared at her. He clearly had thought that Peyton was fully naked, like he was, but turns out she wasn't. She was sleeping with his shirt on. Great, now how was he supposed to make a clean get away? There was no way he could leave without his shirt on. That wouldn't be a good sign. He could run into anyone outside on his walk home. He most definitely didn't need Brooke finding out, at least not from someone other then himself. Brooke filled his mind now, as he stared at the blonde who was still fast asleep. How could he have been so stupid? Again? He loved Brooke and he vowed to get her back. How was he going to be able to do that now? He'd have to be honest with her, he'd have to tell her. After all, if he would have told Brooke about the kiss, they may still be together right now. What was he thinking? He slept with Peyton. Peyton Sawyer, Brooke's best friend, or used to be best friend. If he had any hope in rekindling things with Brooke, that all went out the window. She'd never forgive him now._

"_Luke?" Peyton murmured as she was slowly starting to wake up, she stretched her arm over to have it lay across Lucas' chest, but her arm hit a semi-cold mattress._

_Lucas bit his bottom lip. He didn't want to have this conversation with her, not now. He knew he'd have to though. He needed his shirt and that was the only thing stopping him from leaving at that moment. Sitting down in her computer chair, he grabbed his socks and pulled them on. Quickly following he started to pull on his shoes. The quicker he was dressed, hopefully the sooner he could get his shirt and be out of there. His eyes looked up at the blonde who was now sitting up in the bed as he tied one of his shoes. Their eyes met and held contact for only a second, before Lucas diverted his eyes down to his feet. He was beginning to panic a little. The last thing he wanted to do what hurt Peyton too, but clearly he knew he already did. Looking into her eyes for that one second, he was able to read what she was feeling. _

"_Where are you running off to?" Peyton questioned as she watched him tie his shoe._

_He ignored her question, playing it off like he didn't hear her. Maybe he could get away with it? Yeah right, who was he kidding? When it came to Peyton, he was never off the hook that easy. She was going to make him talk, whether he wanted to or not. That's just how their friendship was. He scratched the back of his neck before moving to his last shoe. His mind racing to find the easiest and least painful way to let Peyton down. Lucas had no idea exactly how hard Peyton was going to take it. _

"_Lucas?"_

"_Huh?"_

"_Tell me I'm dreaming." Peyton bit her bottom lip._

"_What do you mean?" Lucas asked trying to play clueless. He knew what she meant._

"_Tell me, that we didn't sleep together last night and that you are not sitting there trying to make a getaway." Peyton eyed the blonde man sitting a few feet from her. "Lucas?"_

_His heart broke for her. How could he let her get caught in the middle of this? He stood from his seated position and slowly walked over to her bed. He sat down on the edge of it and turned his body to face Peyton. He looked her in the eyes this time, holding eye contact. He searched her green eyes, as he tried to find a way to tell her this. As he looked in her eyes, he saw something that he hadn't noticed before. The look she gave him. He had seen it before. But when? His eyes closed as he tried to think quickly. Then it hit him. Peyton had that same look in her eyes when they fooled around behind Brooke's back the first time. He also recalled that same look in her eyes when she was seeing Jake Jagielski. He opened his blue eyes and looked at her again. This couldn't be happening to him. It just couldn't be. After looking at her for a couple of minutes, he was able to muster up some words._

"_Peyton…" Lucas breathed in. "Last night…"_

"_Don't you dare!" Peyton's soft voice turned to sadness. "You said, 'we can be something special'."_

_Lucas mentally slapped himself after hearing what Peyton said. How on earth did he dig himself into such a huge hole, with both of the girls that he cared for? He looked away from her green eyes and looked around her bedroom. His eyes fell on one of her pieces of artwork. It was a drawing of Brooke, Peyton and himself all holding guns and shooting a heart that had a number 3 in it. He had seen the picture a million times before, but now it brought a new meaning to him. A meaning he hadn't realized before. He always thought the drawing was just the three of them shooting down the heart with his jersey number in it as a symbol of change. A change so they all could be friends without the drama. But as he looked at the picture, he wondered. It had always been Brooke, Peyton and Lucas. It was never just Lucas and Brooke or Lucas and Peyton. It was always the three of them. The heart symbolizing love. Love that they all had for each other. But the love was different for one pair. But what pair? As he continued to stare a the picture he noticed he was in the middle. That's when it hit him. He needed to put his foot down and make the decision. He was standing between two best friends and he wasn't being fair to either of them. Why? Simply because he didn't want to hurt either one of them. He needed to be honest with his feelings, and let someone down. If he didn't, Brooke, Peyton and Lucas would always be this crazy love triangle drama that none of them really wanted to continue on with. A sigh escaped his lips as he turned back to Peyton, who had been sitting there patiently waiting for an answer._

"_Peyton, it's too soon for me." Lucas placed his hand on hers. "I just got out of a relationship with Brooke and…"_

"_I know why she broke up with you." Peyton cut him off before he could continue._

"_What do you mean?" He looked at her slightly confused._

"_Luke…" Peyton looked up at the ceiling preparing herself not to let the tears fall from her eyes. "The night of Nathan and Haley's wedding party, I told Brooke something."_

"_What did you tell her?" _

"_I told her I still have feelings for you." She looked into his blue crystal eyes. "Lucas, I love you. I always have."_

"_You told her that?" Lucas let her last statement go in one ear and out the other._

"_Not the exact response I was looking for." Peyton sighed wiping a tear that fell._

"_What?" Lucas eyed the blonde as anger had entered him. "What do you expect me to say? That it's ok? That everything will be fine? That I love you too? I'm sorry Peyton, but I don't feel that way about you. How could you be so selfish?"_

"_Selfish?" _

"_Yes, selfish!" Lucas stood up from the bed, his anger getting the best of him as everything was starting to piece itself together as to why Brooke broke up with him. "No wonder Brooke broke up with me. She thinks history is going to repeat itself again. God, how could I have been so blind!"_

"_Lucas, she doesn't love you like I love you!" Peyton grabbed his hand, pleading with her eyes._

"_Do you hear yourself right now?" Lucas pulled his hand away. "Doesn't Brooke mean anything to you? She is your best friend!"_

"_Brooke has made it clear to me that we are no longer friends." Peyton fought back. "You know, you won't get her back. History already repeated itself. You can't lie to her, we did just sleep together."_

"_Peyton…" Lucas looked at the blonde, disgust and sadness written on his face. "What happened to you? You used to be this amazing, kind hearted person."_

"_Don't say that Luke!" Peyton bit her bottom lip. "I love you, and I know you love me too! We can have it all! We can be together!"_

"_I could never love this person you've become." _

_Lucas shook his head with a look of disappointment clearly written on his face. He scratched the back of his neck and tossed her the shirt that was laying on the ground. Her eyes filled with tears, that spilled over her eye lids as she took off Lucas' shirt and threw it at him, as she clutched her own shirt to her chest. Without even a second glance, Lucas walked out of her bedroom while putting on his shirt. How did things get so messed up?_

"Earth to Lucas!"

His eyes flung open as he was pulled out of his thoughts. He looked up and a smile formed on his face as he saw the brunette woman standing above him. He laughed slightly at her posture. She was hunched over with her hands on her hips eyeing him like he had lost his mind. He sat up and slowly stood up from the ground, dusting his hands off on his pants. Lucas hugged her tightly as he really needed his best friend right now in this moment. It was like she always knew when he needed her, as she always seemed to appear or just show up.

"Hales!" Lucas smiled as he still hugged her.

"I guess I came at a good time." Haley laughed as she hugged him back.

"You always do." Lucas smiled at her as they both walked over to the bleachers.

"Well, I came to tell you something, but I can see you need my wisdom." Haley smirked as she nudged him.

"Yeah I do, but what did you want to tell me?" Lucas raised an eyebrow at her.

"It can wait, tell me what's going through that head of yours."

Lucas sighed and took a deep breath as he began to tell Haley everything. Not just him sleeping with Peyton, but how he felt that things were messed up a long time ago. It felt good to get everything off of his chest finally. He had been holding this in for so long and was distancing himself from everyone. Only because he felt like he couldn't talk to anyone, without it getting back to Brooke. He could tell Haley anything though. Why hadn't he told her sooner? Maybe because he didn't want to put her in the middle of him and Brooke, as he knew the two girls had grown extremely close over the past couple of years.

"Wow Luke…" Haley stared at her friend. "Wow."

"Whatever happened to no judgment between us?" Lucas nudged her.

"Oh, no judgment coming from me." Haley took a deep breathe. "Just trying to figure out what advice I can give you."

"Have I finally stumped the almighty Haley?" Lucas laughed as she smiled at him.

"No, you have not!" Haley racked her mind. "I'd say tell Brooke everything, exactly how you told me, but she's not speaking to you and is going out of her way to avoid you. I'd say talk to Peyton, and tell her how you feel, but she probably still needs time to heal. Damn Lucas Scott, you've royally fucked up!"

"Gee, thanks Hales!" Lucas rolled his eyes with sarcasm.

"I'm sorry Luke." She leaned into him for a side hug. "The only advice I have for you, is to let time run it's course. Focus on yourself."

"I was afraid you'd say that." Lucas sighed returning the hug.

"Or…" Haley thought for a moment.

"Or what?" Lucas turned to face his best friend.

"There are a couple rumors going around." Haley thought to herself out loud.

"Haley, what are you thinking?" Lucas question. "Tell me, please?"

"The rumor is that both Brooke and Peyton are leaving town. Possibly for a long time or for good." Haley looked into Lucas' eyes. "Find out when they are leaving, and pick the one you love and go with her. It'd be like the greatest love gesture you can do at this moment in time."

"As great of an idea as that sounds, there is one problem with it." Lucas sighed.

"What?" Haley raised an eyebrow.

"Neither of them are speaking to me!" Lucas ran a hand over his face.

"Maybe you shouldn't have kissed Peyton!" Skills joked as he walked up to the river court.

"Or maybe you shouldn't have slept with Peyton and told her you didn't have feelings for her." Nathan chimed in walking with Skills.

"Please tell me you two were not ease dropping?" Lucas sighed putting his head in his hands. The last thing he needed was the entire world to know of his mistakes.

"Dawg, we just overheard the conversation." Skills spoke patting him on the back.

"Things will get better Luke." Nathan smiled at his wife. "Did you tell him yet?"

"Oh yeah…" Lucas looked up at Haley. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

"Well, I know things aren't ideal for you right now, but…" Haley smiled widely. "I'm pregnant!"

Lucas looked up at his best friend, Haley James-Scott. Hearing those words escape her mouth, he wasn't sure if he should be happy or sad for her. The thought pondered his mind as he stared at her. A smile crept across his face as he hugged Haley and rocked her back and forth. If he couldn't have happiness right now, he was glad that his best friend and sister-in-law and his brother were able to have it.

"That's great Hales!" Lucas said with a smile. "Congratulations you two!"

"Thanks!" Nathan and Haley spoke at the same time.

"Way to go Nate!" Skills gave him a fist bump. "We are going to have another NBA star amongst us soon."

"Or possible WNBA star!" Haley quickly corrected.

"You two are nuts!" Lucas laughed. "So, what about college?"

"We are going to go to Duke together." Haley smiled. "We've got it all planed out."

"If anyone can do this, it's you two." Skills spoke taking a shot and making it in.

"Thanks Skills." Haley walked over to Nathan and kissed him. "You boys have fun, I'm going to go tell Karen now."

XoX

_People keep on saying that you should always follow your heart. But when your heart gets broken into pieces, which piece should you follow?_

Nathan, Skills and Lucas tossed the basketball around to one another, and each taking shots. They were just enjoying the moment they had together, as these kinds of moments would slowly fade away as time was passing by quickly. Meaning that they all were leaving this wonderful town that they call home. Some how while making baskets, the conversation had turned into Lucas' love life and how screwed up it was. It was the last thing Lucas wanted to talk about, but talking about it was helping him feel better about things. It was also helping realize what he needed or should be trying to do in order to fix everything.

"I remember when you were just a nobody." Skills took a shot. "When Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer didn't pay any attention to you."

"Yeah, didn't Peyton almost run you over too?" Nathan laughed along with Skills.

"Back then things were so much easier." Lucas sighed as he passed the ball to Nate. "Other then almost getting run down."

"So what are you going to do?" Nate asked taking a jump shot.

"I love Brooke guys!" Lucas sighed leaning back against the basketball hoop pole.

"I know you love her…" Skills held on to the ball. "So what, are you going to try and get her back?"

"Yeah." Lucas didn't even have to think about it.

"Huh, but I'm not too sure that's the way to do it." Nathan chimed in noticing the black comet pull up. "But hey…"

"Huh?" Lucas became confused as he turned around and saw the blonde getting out of the car.

"What's up Homewrecker!" Skills shouted out to Peyton as she made her way over to the guys.

"Hi Skills!" Peyton rolled her eyes with a smile on her face and a small laugh. "Hi Nate."

Skills shrugged his shoulders as he tossed the ball to Nathan and the two began to play a little one on one. Lucas scratched the back of his neck, a little nervous as to why Peyton was here. He met her half way, to avoid the guys from easing dropping in on his conversation like they had done previously. He couldn't help but wonder why she was here, as they hadn't spoken in so long. Once they were close enough to start a conversation, Lucas shoved his hands into his front pockets and he leaned forward slightly in a rocking manner.

"So, I guess the word is out?" Peyton raised her eyebrows.

"Sorry about those two." Lucas shrugged. "We were actually just talking about the situation."

"I see…" Peyton watched as Nathan ran passed Skills and made a basket. "You're probably wondering why I'm here."

"There's no probably." Lucas replied looking at her.

"Ok, before I say anything, I need you to promise me something." Peyton began. "Promise me that you won't say a word after I'm done telling you this."

"Peyton?"

"Please!"

"Ok."

"Alright, here goes nothing…" Peyton took in a deep breath as she became nervous. "I know we haven't spoken in a long time. I feel that I am to blame for that. I haven't been that great of a person to you, or to Brooke. I should have been more considerate of your feelings and of Brooke's feelings. But that night, when we slept together and you told me that we could be something special, I saw us together." She looked into his eyes as she continued on after pausing for a moment. "Luke, I know that what we did before was wrong and it shouldn't have happened. I also know that what I did was wrong too. But Lucas, love makes you do crazy and unbelievable things sometimes. Love makes you do things that you wouldn't normally do. Lucas, I love you and I mean, I'm in love with you." She smiled at him as she looked down at her hands that laid on her stomach, as she was starting to feel sick for a moment, before speaking again. "I'm leaving town tomorrow morning. I've come to realize that I can't be here in Tree Hill right now. Not while Brooke and I are at war, and not while I'm in love with you and not knowing how you feel about me. I'm not going to tell you where I'm going, because if you turn me down I won't be able to be just your friend. At least not for a long while. I can't chance you randomly showing up, just to visit me. If you don't show, this will also be my chance to heal and move on. I'm leaving at four in the morning tomorrow. I'll wait for fifteen minutes after four. If you don't show up, then I know how you truly feel and I won't bother you again."

With that said, Peyton stared into Lucas' eyes one last time before turning her back to him. She headed back to her car, got in and started up the engine. The blondes held eye contact for a short while before Peyton drove off. Lucas stared at the empty space where the comet was previously parked. He was deep in thought. He knew that Peyton was in love with him, after she had admitted it, but he had no idea she felt so strongly for him. He slowly turned around, just in time to catch Nate and Skills act like they weren't listening in on Peyton's speech, as they began playing one on one again. He rolled his eyes, knowing he was going to get a mouthful from his brother and friend.

"So what's the score?" Lucas crossed his arms looking at the two guys.

"Homewrecker 1, Pretty Girl 0." Skills blurted out getting a laugh out of Nate.

"I love Brooke, doesn't that count for anything?" Lucas tossed his hands up in the air.

"Sure it does." Nate answered. "Those feelings are just home court advantage, no points scored."

"You guys are real pieces of work." Lucas sighed shaking his head at his friends.

"So, you showing up?" Nate took a three point shot, making it with nothing but net.

"I don't know." Lucas spoke truthfully.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Skills questioned as he turned and stared directly into Lucas' eyes.

"What am I supposed to do?" Lucas leaned back against the hoop pole in defeat. "Brooke doesn't want anything to do with me. I'm never going to get her back after she finds out I slept with Peyton. I might as well just take what I can get."

"Never settle Luke!" Nate cut in. "If you settle, it will only make you live with regrets. I settled when Haley left to go on tour with Chris Keller. Look what happened when that happened. We both ended up miserable."

"Not everyone can be a Naley couple." Lucas rolled his eyes at his brother.

"Dawg, that may be true, but…" Skills did a lay up before finishing his thought. "You're Brucas!"

"Brucas!" Nate chanted back along with Skills.

"Seriously?" Lucas couldn't help but laugh at the two men. "You two have been hanging out with Brooke behind my back. She's the only one that makes up those names."

"Long live BRUCAS!" Nate and Skills marched around Lucas as they put their arms in the air as if they were carrying around torches.

"Cut it out guys!" Lucas laughed harder as he playfully shoved Skills and Nate.

"BRUCAS! BRUCAS! Whoa!" Nate stopped in his tracks. "Didn't see this coming!"

"See what?" Lucas asked as he looked at Nate.

"Looks like we may need a tie breaker." Skills grabbed the basketball. "There's my girl, B. Davis!"

"There's my boy, A. Taylor!" Brooke smiled as she walked up to the guys on the court. "Am I missing out on a protest or rally?"

"Hey Brooke, it's been a while." Nate gave her a head nod ignoring her comment.

"Yeah, it has been." Brooke bit her bottom lip as she turned to the blonde that she came to see.

"Sorry about them." Lucas motioned to the two guys who were now snickering and holding in laughter.

"Brucas eh?" Brooke eyed the guys with a smirk. "Guess I'm rubbing off on them."

"I guess we have fans rooting for us." Lucas tried to make light of the awkward tension he felt.

"Can we talk?" Brooke remembered why she had come to the river court in the first place.

Lucas just stared at the brunette woman in front of him. He all of a sudden forgot how to speak. Seeing her so close to him, made all of those feelings he had for her come rushing back to him at full force. His feelings for her stronger then ever before. After not being able to see or speak to her for two months, he just wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her and tell her how much he loved her. But why now? Why was she here? Had Peyton gone and spoke to Brooke? Maybe she felt that bad about everything. He continued to stare into her hazel eyes, as he had zoned out completely.

"Luke?" Brooke took a step closer to him, placing her hand on his arm.

Tingles and shivers ran up and down his arm and spine at the touch of her hand on his skin. He felt the goose bumps begin to form on his arm as he ripped his gaze away from her eyes and looked down at where her hand was placed. They still had that connection, even after two months. Did Brooke realize that too? She had to. He needed to be with her. He missed her so much and having her standing right there in front of him was killing him, because he knew at that moment she wasn't his. At least not yet. He wasn't going to let her just walk away again. Not this time. He had prepared himself for this moment. Where Brooke came up to him and wanted to talk. For as much preparation he had done, the second he looked back up into her hazel eyes, he forgot all of his words. The only thing he was able to do was nod, and lead her away from the court. Just far enough that Skills and Nate couldn't overhear their conversation. They walked in silence over to where Brooke had parked her baby blue bug. They stood there for a moment before Brooke spoke up again.

"Are you going to say anything to me?" Brooke questioned looking up into those misty blue eyes she loved so much.

"Yeah, sorry." Lucas shook his head. "You kind of just caught me off guard there."

"Sorry about that." Brooke ran a hand through her hair.

"You've ignored me for a good two months." Lucas stated. "I wasn't sure if you were actually speaking to me just now."

"Yeah, that was really childish of me." Brooke confessed. "But I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Lucas questioned, as he fought back every urge in his body that begged him to pull her close to him and hold her.

"I'm going to give you one of our famous speeches." Brooke looked around the river court taking in the view and peacefulness of everything. "Afterwards, I'm going to leave and I want you to think hard about what I've said."

"Brooke…" Lucas tried to stop her,

"Lucas, I need you to know, that I am truly sorry for breaking up with you. I am also sorry for not telling you the reason I broke up with you." Brooke took in a deep breath as she focused on a happy image in her mind, to avoid from breaking down into tears. "Luke, the reason I broke up with you is because Peyton told me she still had feelings for you. I get that, that was wrong of me to do. As you weren't the one who had feelings for her, or at least at the time you didn't." Brooke bit her tongue as Lucas had a painful look on his face at the mention of that accusation. "I should have held on to you, I should have told you what was going on. But I didn't. I ran. I ran from you Lucas. And I've asked myself everyday for the last two months as to why I ran. When Peyton told me she had feelings for you, I panicked. I saw history slowly repeating itself. I couldn't let that happen again. So I did what I do best. I put my defense walls back up around my heart and I pushed you away. I knew it was only a matter of time before you and Peyton ended up together." A tear slid down her cheek as she looked Lucas in the eye. "Lucas, I was scared and I still am scared. I always have this fear, that one day you are going to discover that I'm not as great as you once thought I was. I'm afraid of loosing you, I'm afraid of getting hurt by you again. I know you said you wouldn't hurt me again, but if Peyton could do it, why couldn't you? That's what I thought. But I've come to realize that you are not Peyton. You've changed, and you've given me your heart and let me into your world." Tears were now streaming down her face. "I love you Lucas Scott. I'm so insanely in love with you that it hurts. I know that I'm probably too late, as I've heard the rumors about you and Peyton. But I don't care about them. If they are true, then I can forgive you, like you forgave me. We weren't together at the time, even though with our love triangle history, it hurts worse, then if you had slept with a stranger. But that doesn't matter, because I can find it in my heart to forgive you." Brooke cried, but not taking her eyes away from his crystal blue ones. "I'm leaving Tree Hill tomorrow morning. I want you to come with me. I want you to come because I know in my heart we can work this out. I'm leaving at four in the morning. I have a long drive ahead of me. But I'll wait for you to show up. If you don't show up fifteen minutes after four, then I'll leave without you. You won't hear from me and I won't bother you for as long as it takes for me to get over you. By you not showing up, I'll also know where your heart truly lies. Whether it be with me or with Peyton. Lucas, I just want you to be happy. I can't tell you where I'm leaving to. It's better this way. If you don't choose me, this will give me the breathing space I need in order to be able to move on from you. So, please just think about it. Think about it long and hard." Brooke leaned up and kissed Lucas' cheek as she let her hand rest on the other side of his cheek. "I'll be waiting."

After speaking those last three words, Brooke stared into his eyes for a short moment, before getting into her beetle and driving away. He couldn't help but realize at that moment why the two girls were or had been best friends. They both were very similar, yet so different. For goodness sake, they both came to him and gave him a speech about them being in love with him and leaving the choice up to him. Oddly enough it happened only a matter of minutes between them. Lucas stared after her, as her words began to sink in. She loved him and she wanted to be with him. They could be together again. The biggest part was, she'd forgive him. His heart had filled with joy as he turned and noticed that Nate and Skills were now sitting on the bleachers talking about something. A smile crept across his face as he made his way to the guys. He took a seat below them, still in a daze after hearing what Brooke had to say.

"Pretty Girl 1, Homewrecker 1?" Skills patted Lucas on his back.

"She still loves me." Lucas couldn't stop smiling. "She wants to work things out."

"Ok, then why'd she leave crying?" Nate questioned oddly.

"She's leaving town too." Lucas answered.

"Well then Luke, who's the lucky girl?" Skills smirked as he eyed the blonde man.

XoX

_Maybe one day, I'll be what you need. But don't wait too long… Because the day you want me, may be the day I've finally given up…_

Brooke dragged her suitcases out towards her car, as she tossed them in the trunk. Pulling out her cell phone she looked at the time. It was ten till four. She swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat as she looked around the area. Everything was calm and peaceful. A sigh escaped her lips as she shut her trunk. She was all ready to go. All of her essentials were packed up. Brooke leaned up against the car as she looked at the house in front of her. Staring at the house, it started to bring back old memories of everything and everyone. She was going to miss Tree Hill. She knew this would always be her home and one day she'd return. But she needed to do this for herself. She needed to go and put herself out there in this great big world. Her stroll down memory lane was cut short by the tall redhead walking out the door with suitcases.

"Hey Bitch!" Rachel smiled at Brooke.

"Hey Skank!" Brooke laughed.

"What's with the long face?" Rachel questioned tossing her suitcases into her black Escalade. "Miss me already?"

"Just thinking about how much I'm going to miss this place and I guess you." Brooke smiled at the thought. "What's with the suitcases?"

"Well, I got a modeling offer!" Rachel replied with excitement.

"That's great Rach!" Brooke hugged her friend. "I'm soo happy for you!"

"Thanks!" Rachel smirked. "I told you this body isn't made for college."

"Who signed you?" Brooke laughed at the comment.

"Well, this company called Victoria's Secret wants me to model this new line called 'Clothes Over Bro's'" Rachel bit her bottom lip.

"Wait, what?" Brooke freaked. "You're going to New York?"

"You know it!" Rachel shrugged. "Couldn't let Brooke Davis have all of the fame!"

The two girls hugged in excitement as they did a little celebratory dance with one another. She was glad that she'd have Rachel there to support her. Having a good friend by her side was just what she needed. After another hug, Rachel made her way back inside the house to get a few more things. Once she disappeared inside, Brooke pulled out her phone and looked at the time again. It was now four ten in the morning. She looked up and looked around, hoping to see him. Somewhere. A single tear threatened to slip from her eye as she heard her name being called. Her heart raced as she turned around to where the voice had come from. A huge smile came upon her face as he stood there, suitcases in hand. Their eyes locked onto one another as they stared.

"Brooke, I'm coming with you!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**This story takes place right after Season 4 episode 1. Right where Brooke tells Lucas she can't do this anymore. So everything before that episode happened for the sake of this storyline. I hope you all like this story, as it is my first One Tree Hill (Brucas) story base. So please let me know what you think of my work. It is much appreciated. Thanks!**

**Also, I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

_Thank you to GottaluvNaley, dianehermans, Leonie1988 and GoodGirlGoneBad1984 for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! _

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 4**

_If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever._

It was 4:02 in the morning and Peyton Sawyer started up the black comet she owned. Her hand fell onto the small knob to adjust the radio station. She found a song that she liked and then backed out of her drive way. A small, bittersweet smile formed on her face as she took one last glance at the house she had grown up in. She had so many memories that went along with the house, but it was time for a change and time to move on. Her eyes traveled to the 'For Sale' sign. The next family that moved into this house, she wished the best of luck to them and that they had just as many amazing memories as she had. As she drove down the street, she knew she'd miss this place and that Tree Hill would always be her home. A part of her didn't want to leave, but she knew she had to. This small town was not going to be big enough for Brooke Davis and Peyton Sawyer. Ever since Brooke had ended their friendship, it felt like there was a war in place, and people were either Team Brooke or Team Peyton. By far, Team Brooke had more supporters. Deep down in her heart, she wanted her best friend back.

They had been through so much together, and the fact that they were no longer friends because of a guy sucked. Who was she kidding? It wasn't over just any guy. Lucas Scott wasn't just _any_ guy. He is _the_ guy. If you could dream up a perfect guy, Lucas would be close to it. What was it about Lucas Scott that both Brooke and Peyton had to lose a childhood friendship over? The question would always be unanswered, with the exception that the two women were madly in love with him. A soft smile came to her face as she pulled up to a red light and she looked over to her right.

"You're really quiet." Peyton eyed the blonde up and down.

"It's too early."

"Yeah, I guess it is." Peyton laughed slightly, but didn't get a reaction.

She started driving again as her thoughts took over her head. She was more then pleased when he showed up at her house with his suitcases in hand. Her heart jumped for joy at the sight of him. Peyton had a feeling that he wouldn't show up, that he didn't feel the same towards her, but he proved her wrong. Everything was slowly coming together, which made her moving to Savannah, Georgia easier. She dropped one hand to her stomach as she bit her bottom lip as her smile widen slightly. She was originally going to wait till they got to Savannah, but she just needed to share this information now. She wanted to be able to talk about it and enjoy it with the love of her life.

"So, I have something I need to tell you." Peyton broke the silence again.

"Hm?"

"I'm Pregnant!" Peyton nearly shouted in excitement.

"Oh."

"Oh?" Peyton's happiness subsided instantly.

"I mean, that's great! I'm just really tired. Can we talk about this later?"

"Yeah, why don't you get some sleep." Peyton's smile returned as she placed her hand on his thigh.

Lucas Scott rolled his eyes as he turned in his seat to face the window, which forced Peyton's hand to slide off of his thigh. He rested his head against the window and stared out it. He wanted to be happy and excited for Peyton, but he couldn't find it in him to do so. The 'I'm tired' excuse worked perfectly, which he hadn't been expecting it to. It was probably because he had chose her. It took every ounce in his body to make it to Peyton's house that morning. He knew he was doing the right thing, but he couldn't help the gut feeling he had that he was making the biggest mistake of his life. The blonde lifted his head slightly as he recognized the street they turned down. His heart started to beat faster as he licked his dry lips. He glanced at the time on the stereo system and noticed it was 4:13.

Brooke Davis lived on this street that Peyton had just turned down. Immediately his thoughts were consumed by the cheerful brunette. Why was Peyton going down this way? Did she want to rub it in Brooke's face that Lucas had chosen Peyton? Or maybe she just wanted to get one last look at where the majority of her childhood had been spent? Either way, Lucas didn't want to be seen. That was if Brooke was still there. Neither Brooke or Peyton knew the other was leaving town. As they started to get closer and closer, Lucas' heartbeat got quicker and quicker. Everything in him wanted to pick Brooke. He loved her more then the world itself. But why didn't he pick her? Before he could remind himself of why he had picked Peyton and not Brooke they had crept up to her house. He scanned the driveway and saw Rachel's black Escalade with it's trunk open and luggage in the back of it. Then he saw the baby blue beetle. Was this fate's way of giving him this last chance to change his mind? He could have Peyton pull over right now and he could run over to Brooke and tell her he loves her and kiss her. It would be like a scene from an epic love story that was told in the movies. He knew Brooke was always a sucker for the type of romance that was perceived in the movies. Lucas swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as he felt like he was slowly passing by the house. As if his life was in slow motion. His crystal blue eyes widen slightly as he saw a man wrap his arms around Brooke and spin her around in circles. Smiles were plastered on both of their faces, but Lucas noticed Brooke's dimples showing. Her dimples only came out when she had a true genuine smile. Lucas' heart broke at the sight he had just witnessed. He turned his body to look out the window as best as he could without letting Peyton catch on to what he was staring at. The image became smaller and smaller until Brooke had disappeared from his view. In that exact moment, he knew he had just lost the one girl he loved most in the world, forever.

XoX

_It's hard to wait around for something you know might never happen. But it's even harder to give up when it's every thing you ever wanted._

Brooke laughed as Julian spun her around in circles not noticing the comet pass by. She swatted at his back signaling to place her back on her feet. After placing her down, he wrapped his arms around the brunette and hugged her tightly. He had a feeling that she'd need him today, and going to New York wouldn't be so bad for his career. Yeah, most of his opportunities were in L.A. but he could figure something out in New York. He had always wanted to go to the Big Apple anyway. Their hug was short lived as the fiery red head made her appearance known as she exited the house. A sarcastic laugh escaped her lips as she stood on the porch with her hands on her hips.

"Oh great!" Rachel rolled her eyes. "Baker Boy is tagging along too!"

"Oh great!" Julian mocked in his best Rachel voice. "Gatina Girl is tagging along too!"

"Not funny!" Rachel spoke making her way to Brooke. "You ready to hit the road Slut?"

"No, not yet Skank." Brooke laughed at the banter between the two. "What time is it?"

Both Rachel and Julian looked at one another then back at Brooke. Neither one of them wanting to be the one to tell her that it was clearly after 4:15. Rachel had listened to Brooke confess her fears about Lucas not showing up the pervious night. Personally, she hated Lucas Scott. How could he do this to Brooke, Brooke Davis? She had given him chance after chance, and yet, here he was still breaking her heart. Julian knew how much Brooke was looking forward to seeing Lucas show up and picking her. And by the conversation they had yesterday night, about how her speech went, Brooke had swore that Lucas was going to pick her. She had seen it in his eyes. All the love he had for her, she could see it.

Brooke stared at her two friends. Her heart racing and anticipating the answer to her question. She couldn't look at the time herself. It would make the reality of the situation all too real for her. Why wouldn't they tell her what time it was? Unless, they knew it was after 4:15. Her eyes started to get the burning sensation, that meant the tears were coming. Lucas wouldn't do this to her. Not again. He couldn't break her heart twice. Could he? Her hazel eyes looked at Rachel and she saw the pained look on her face. She immediately started shaking her head. This isn't right. A wave of denial washed over the bombshell brunette. She pulled her phone out and looked at the time. 4:23am. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She looked up at Julian. How she had hoped he was Lucas, when he called her name. She was happy he was coming with her, but he was no Lucas Scott. Her mind raced, as she thought of why Scott wasn't present at the moment.

"He just overslept." Brooke shrugged her shoulders. "We'll go pick him up."

"Brooke?!" Rachel tried to reason with her. "I don't think…"

"He's sleeping!" Brooke spat back as she quickly got into her car. "Are you guys coming or what?"

Julian and Rachel shared a sad look between the two. They weren't ready for a Brooke Davis break down this early in the morning, but they wouldn't let her do this on her own. Rachel locked the door to her house and went and got into her own car. Julian slid into the passenger side of Brooke's Volkswagen beetle. The second the click of his seatbelt had sounded, Brooke took off down the street, with Rachel following behind her. There was a strong silence looming in the car. A silence of sadness and heartbreak. You could cut the silence with a knife, and Julian didn't know what to say. His heart ached for the hazel eyed brunette. He knew she was going to be in tears, but this was something that she needed to do. Maybe this realization would be the start of her actually moving on from Lucas. He heard her gasp in a happy tone. He looked over at her and saw that they had arrived at Lucas' house apparently, as he wasn't familiar with Lucas' house.

"His truck is here!" Brooke smiled, as she quickly got out to the car.

"Brooke!" Julian and Rachel both yelled from their spots in the car.

Brooke ran up to Lucas' door. Her smile widening slightly as she knocked on his door. She waited patiently as she looked back behind her. Her eyes watched as Julian and Rachel had exited the cars and were now standing there just watching her. She looked back at the door and knocked again. No answer. She placed her hand on the door knob, and twisted. It was unlocked. Brooke breathed in deep as she twisted it, and pushed open the door slowly. If Lucas was asleep, she didn't want to scare him. Her heart began to race as she finally opened the door all the way. A heartbreaking cry escaped her lips at the site she witnessed. Rachel went to go comfort her friend, but Julian had grabbed her arm so she couldn't go anywhere.

"She needs to confront this on her own." Julian spoke softly as Rachel backed down.

She scanned the once full room that was now practically empty. Her feet walked into the bedroom as she looked around at everything. His closet was empty, his shelves were bare and his desk was emptied out. Her heart raced as she pulled open his dresser drawers, and with each one she opened, she found them with no contents. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the walls. His posters and pictures all still hung on the walls. She ran her hand on the wall as she walked around the entire room. All of his clothes, books, cds, and essentials were gone. He was gone. He left. But he didn't leave with her. Brooke's heart broke in half at the realization that Lucas was gone. He left, and he didn't say goodbye or even give her a heads up. She walked over to his nightstand and the tears started to pour from her eyes as she saw a picture in it's frame.

She picked it up as she sat on his bed, that was made up. Her fingers traced over the photo. She stared at the picture in her hands. It was of Lucas and her at the beach. She remembered the day like it had just happened. They had spent the day at the beach with Nathan and Haley. The sun was setting and Brooke had jumped on to Lucas' back and wrapped her legs around his waist. Lucas then balance her on his back, giving her a piggy back ride. They both laughed as Lucas stood still. Smiles plastered on both of their faces as they were looking into each others eyes while he still held her on his back. Her arms wrapped around his neck. They were the only two people in the world. In that moment, Haley had captured it with her camera. This was one of Brooke's favorite pictures of the two of them. Her hazel eyes diverted up at the sight of Julian making an entrance in the bedroom.

"We should get going Brooke." He spoke softly.

"How could he do this to me again, Julian?" Brooke cried looking down at the picture. "He swore he'd never let me go again."

Julian took a seat next to Brooke and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She leaned her head on his chest as the tears kept falling from her face. After a short moment, she pulled away from Julian, and looked at the picture again. She placed the photo back down on the nightstand. She wiped her eyes, and sniffled. A sad sigh escaping her lips as she looked down at her hands. Her heart ached as she began to remember a certain moment that her and Lucas had shared. It was all to familiar to her, as it had taken place in this room. Brooke started to speak to Julian as she relived the memory.

_Brooke sat on her bed, which was formally Lucas' bed. She had been staying with Karen and Lucas for the rest of the school year, when her parents had moved to California. Now that Summer had arrived, it was time for her to head to California for the summer. She didn't understand why it would matter if she went. Her parents weren't around anyway. There wouldn't be any difference. She looked around the room that she had called home for a short while. It was time for her to leave, and no one was there to say goodbye. She heard the taxi honk, signaling that her ride awaited her. A sigh escaped her lips._

"_Well…" A long pause, as she looked around the room. "See ya, Brooke. Have a nice summer. Oh thanks everybody." She sarcastically laughed as she talked to herself._

"_Talking to yourself?" _

_At the sound of his voice, she turned her head to the door. There Lucas stood, with his arms crossed in front of him staring at her with his infamous brooding look that he had perfected. A small, sad smile appeared on her face. _

"_What?" Brooke paused for a short moment. "Your summer job, driving a cab?"_

_The brunette tried to laugh, as she became a little nervous. She didn't know why she felt that way. Lucas smiled at her as he shut the door, and made his way closer to her._

"_I put your stuff in the car." He pointed towards the door._

_Their eyes met, and locked onto each other for a long moment. Neither of them really knowing what to say to one another. The awkwardness of their last conversation still loomed in the air that surrounded them. Brooke had thought that Lucas could have been interested in her again, but she had found a box of Peyton things in his closet while she was packing. Lucas didn't get the chance to really explain anything to Brooke, and it was starting to look like he'd never get that chance again._

"_So, I guess this is goodbye." The words slowly spilled out of her mouth._

_He gave her a sad smile as he extended his arm to her as a signal to stand up. She followed suit with a smile that matched his own, and he wrapped his arms around her body tightly. Brooke's smile turned into a frown as she hugged him. Tears burned the back of her eyelids, but she refused to let them fall. She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry. Lucas fought back the stinging feeling he felt in his eyes, as he held Brooke close to him. He didn't want to let her go. He put his hand on her head gently and his nose smelt the aroma of strawberries. A scent he wasn't ready to forget. He felt her slowly start to pull away from his embrace. He wasn't ready for her to leave. She couldn't leave. He had to stop her. Lucas had to act now, or he'd never get this chance again. _

_As Brooke pulled away from Lucas, she gave the best smile she could. He could tell that she was forcing the smile as she gave a slight giggle to hide her nervousness. Before he realized what he was doing, he leaned in and his lips crashed against hers. They shared the moment, that felt like it lasted minutes but in all reality it lasted a few seconds. To his surprise, she kissed him back. They pulled apart. Brooke was lost and confused as she stared at Lucas. He searched her hazel orbs, looking for some sort of answer to her reaction to the kiss. They stayed like that for a short while, until Brooke broke the silence._

"_Tell me that was a goodbye kiss." Brooke stated, but it was her questioning him._

"_I wanna be with you Brooke." Lucas spoke softly, his eyes never leaving hers._

"_What?" She took a couple steps back, trying to wrap his words around her head._

"_I'm sorry." He began to speak as he realized it was now or never. "I know we're friends, it's just how I feel."_

"_What about Peyton's stuff?" The tears were starting to win the battle, as she fought them from falling._

"_I keep that stuff, as a reminder of how badly I screwed up things." Lucas let the words flow from his heart. "with you."_

_Brooke bit her bottom lip as she listened to Lucas speak. A tear slowly escaped her eye and ran down her cheek. Hearing Lucas say these things was making her feel vulnerable and weak. He had hurt her so bad, and here he was admitting he was wrong in what he did. How could this be happening now, when she was supposed to be leaving? Her eyes gazed up into his crystal blue orbs that were filled with so much love. She wanted to look away from him, but she couldn't. Their eyes were glued to one another._

"_To remind myself, that if I ever get a second chance" Lucas shook his head slightly. "I'd never let you go again!"_

_They continued to stare into each other's eyes. Lucas fearing the worst as she hadn't spoken yet. He watched as she tried to form words and speak, but couldn't. Brooke searched her brain for something to say, but found nothing. She was beyond speechless. Brooke was always known for always having something to say or a smart comeback, but in this case, she was at a loss of words. Which was a first._

"_I don't know what to say." She choked out, as her eyes became glossy from the tears that threatened to fall. "I um.."_

_Before she could say anything, the faint sound of the cab's horn could be heard. Her eyes finally left his as she looked towards the closed door where the sound was coming from. She cursed Lucas in her head, for waiting until the last minute to tell her this. She was trying to process everything, and her mind was now on overload. So many different feelings rushed through her. Happiness and sadness. Joy and anger. Courage and fear. There were too many feelings to sum up, and she only had a matter of seconds to make any drastic decisions._

_Lucas watched as her eyes drifted away from his, as he heard the horn honking from the cab. He quickly tried to lock eye contact with her again. Once he did, he hurriedly searched her eyes for something. Anything, to tell him what she was trying to say, but couldn't. The blonde watched as she sniffled a bit before diverting her eyes away from him, but only after she spoke._

"_I gotta go."_

_She then turned slightly, and began to walk towards the door slowly. He felt her brush past him. He swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of his throat. Lucas couldn't let her leave like this. Not without knowing if they had any possibility of working things out. _

"_Brooke." He called after her, as she turned around to face him. "Do you think, you could ever…"_

"_Lucas.." She cut in, not letting him finish is sentence as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I'm sorry… I gotta go."_

_Their eyes stayed locked on one another, as she opened the door behind her back slowly. She couldn't control her tears that still fell from her eyes. Lucas stared at her, not knowing what to do or what to say. Here he was, putting himself out there, hoping it was enough to keep her from leaving. He couldn't read the look on her face though. His heart broke hearing her apologize. He watched as she was now halfway out the door. Her soft voice cracked, as she spoke one last word to him, before she disappeared behind the closed door._

"_Bye."_

"_Have a nice summer Brooke."_

Brooke cried into Julian's arms as he held her tightly. Rachel watched silently from the door way, as she heard Brooke tell the story. The redhead shook her head. How could Lucas be such an idiot? She hated seeing the brunette in so much pain, and she vowed to make sure Brooke would be ok without Lucas. She normally didn't care for friends, but Brooke Davis was the only exception and she still didn't know why. Rachel turned and headed back to her car to wait for the two brunettes that were still inside the house. As Brooke began to stifle her cries, she moved out of Julian's embrace. She gave him a weak smile.

"Thanks for being here for me." Brooke sniffled a little. "It means a lot."

"Anything for you Brooke Davis." Julian gave her a soft smile.

"I just don't understand." She confessed. "I could have swore he was going to come with me. I thought he cared about me."

"Don't lose yourself trying to hold onto someone who doesn't care about losing you." Julian spoke as he looked into her hazel eyes. "I know it hurts right now, but you are strong and you will overcome this, Brooke."

A genuine smile formed on her face as she leaned over and kissed Julian on the cheek. She then stood up and motioned towards the door. He smiled back at her as he stood and followed her out the door. Brooke closed the door behind them as they made their way back to her car. Julian insisted on driving, so the brunette got into the passenger side seat. She stared out the window at the house. A sigh escaped her lips, as the car started up. Lucas Scott would always have a spot in her heart and she'd always love him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**This story takes place right after Season 4 episode 1. Right where Brooke tells Lucas she can't do this anymore. So everything before that episode happened for the sake of this storyline. I hope you all like this story, as it is my first One Tree Hill (Brucas) story base. So please let me know what you think of my work. It is much appreciated. Thanks!**

**Also, I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

_Thank you to… _

_Dianehermans: You may hate Lucas right now, but in this chapter you'll see why he went with Peyton. _

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: Yes they are! I know Poor Brooke, but Brooke always comes out on top and is always strong. She'll make it through this._

_MinnTangerine: Here is the next chapter. Maybe you won't be pissed off with Lucas anymore._

_Shaye21: Thanks for reading, and I'm glad you love my story!_

_ .darkxx: Yes, I understand that really long chapters are hard to read sometimes. I try not to make my chapters too long, but some of the information in the story must be put in certain chapters I feel. I'll try to keep them at a reasonable length, as a reader, I understand where you are coming from. Thanks for the input! _

_Guest: You'll see why he went with Peyton in this chapter. _

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 5**

_** 4 Years Later **_

_You deserve to be with somebody who makes you happy. Somebody who doesn't complicate your life. Somebody who won't hurt you. Somebody who loves you._

Lucas placed the last piece of his luggage into his trunk that was packed with other suitcases and boxes. He shut the lid to the trunk and turned and leaned on the car. His hand ran through his short, but long bleach blonde hair as a sigh escaped his lips that held a slight smile. Today was the day that he'd return home to Tree Hill. It had been far too long since the last time he was home. Four years had passed and he missed the small town more and more each day. In those few years, he had only returned home for two occasions. The birth of his baby sister Lily and the birth of his nephew and Godson Jamie. He would have returned home more often, but being a full time college student made money tight. That didn't stop him from communicating with his family. He spoke on skype with them whenever he got the chance to. Even though Lucas wasn't around physically, he was still able to form a strong bond with both Lily and Jamie. The two kids adored him and he adored them. He was excited to get back and see the two munchkins. Besides the two children, he was excited to see his family Karen, Andy, Nathan, Haley and his friends. He missed them so much and it sucked that he was so far away from them. Lucas missed his mother's homemade, over portioned meals and Karen's Café. He missed Andy's heart to heart conversations. He missed playing basketball at the River court with Nathan. He missed spending hours on the roof of the café writing down predictions of their lives with Haley. He missed playing two on two with Skills, Junk and Fergie.

He missed _her_. Those dark brown locks of hair that could be straight or curly. The way she kinked her eyebrows when she would try to be cute. Those big, bright hazel eyes that saw the good and positive in everything. Her perfectly shaped nose that would flare up slightly when she was angry. Those soft, plush, pink lips that she'd bite nervously when she was telling a lie. The cute dimples that appeared when she smiled a real smile. Her sweet, raspy voice that always had something to say. Her laughs, giggles, snickers and sometimes snorts she made when she thought something was funny. That spunky attitude that made everyone fall in love with her. Lucas missed Brooke Davis. He missed her more then anything and everything.

It had been four years since he had last seen and spoke to Brooke. He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and flipped it open. His fingers quickly found an old, wilted, bent corners, faded colored picture. The picture was of Brooke and himself. It was a bright sunny day and they were playing a soccer game against the Tree Hill High staff faculty. Brooke had just scored a goal and Lucas came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She turned in his arms and smiled at him. They hugged for a long moment before Lucas pulled his head up. He moved his arm up to be wrapped around her shoulders, while the other arm stayed wrapped around her waist protectively. Brooke had her arms wrapped tightly around Lucas. She had her head leaned back slightly as they stared into each other's eyes with huge smiles plastered on their faces. Before the couple could share in a sweet kiss, Karen had snapped the picture. Everything was perfect and amazing back then. He was happy, she was happy, they were happy. A sigh escaped Lucas' lips as he placed the picture back in his wallet and put his wallet away.

He glanced at the watch on his wrist and realized that Peyton would be back in a couple of minutes. She had taken her father to the airport so he could fly out to Florida to visit an old friend. After locking up the truck, he walked back inside the house and made his way to the bedroom that they shared. Making his way over to the bed, he sat down and stared at the wall as he began to play out different scenarios of how this would play out. He knew it wasn't going to be pretty or happy, but it needed to be done. The sound of the front door closing echoed through the house as he listened to her footsteps that grew louder as she got closer. As strange and inconsiderate as it was, a smile formed on his face as realization sunk in. He was finally going home and going after what he wanted.

"There you are." Peyton entered the room. "It's such a nice day out, I was thinking we could pack a lunch and go have a picnic."

"I think you should sit down." Lucas spoke, as he patted the bed.

"Is everything ok?" She asked, as she eyed the blonde with worry and sat next to him.

"Actually, no…no, it's not." He said softly as he took in a deep breath.

"What's wrong?" She questioned as she tried to look him in the eye, but he avoided her stare.

"Peyton…"

The low and cold tone that left Lucas' mouth was enough to know what was about to happen. He had the same tone in his voice as he did after they had slept together four years ago. Peyton stood up and walked over to the double dresser that they shared. She pulled the top drawer open on his side, and was met with emptiness. She pulled out the last four drawers, which all contained nothing in them. Her eyes traveled to the closet and went over to it. Sure enough, his side was empty. The tears started to burn the back of her eyelids, but refused to fall. She looked at him sitting on the bed, hands folded in his lap looking at her, and this time he was looking directly into her eyes.

"Why now Lucas?" She folded her arms across her chest. "Why now?"

"It's just time, Peyton." He sighed as he stood up. "There is nothing keeping me here."

"What about me?" She shouted. "I'm nothing?"

"You're not nothing, Peyton." He ran a hand over his face. "It's just that…""Just what Lucas?" She glared at him. "Spit it out!"

"Peyton…" He breathed in. "The last four years…"

"I swear if this has anything to do with Brooke." She placed her hand on the dresser to stable herself as her legs felt like they would cave in at any moment.

"Honestly?"

"No Luke, I want you to lie to me!" She rolled her eyes, anger clear in her voice. "Tell me the truth Lucas!"

"It's Brooke." Lucas tried to not smile at the mention of her name, but failed. "It's always been Brooke and it always will be Brooke."

Hearing her former best friend's name come out of her boyfriend, well now more then likely ex-boyfriend's mouth upset her to the max. The tears that she had been holding in finally fell from her eyes as she looked away from Lucas. Her hand slipped slightly and fell on a CD case. She grabbed the case and through it at Lucas's head, but she missed as he ducked out of the way. Suddenly she felt good for a short moment, as she began taking the items off the dresser and chucking them at Lucas. He was able to dodge all of the flying objects that flew his way. Lucas knew that Peyton would be upset and angry, but he didn't think she'd go to such drastic measures. He was lucky that they weren't having this fight in the kitchen, where the sharp knives were. His thoughts caught him off guard as his head came in contact with a hair brush. Instantly his hand went to his forehead as Peyton stopped throwing things at him. Guilt quickly washed over the curly haired blonde as she walked over towards him. She moved his hand and looked at the spot where he was hit.

"I'm sorry." She bit her lip as she eyed the knot forming. "I'm going to go get you some ice for that.

"It's fine." He spoke as he stepped away from her. "I'm fine."

"I don't know what came over me." She cried. "I'm so angry and upset."

"You're supposed to be Peyton." He sighed as he rubbed his bump. "Breaking up hurts."

"Lucas, you picked me!" She cried harder as the tears fell. "You chose to come with me, knowing that Brooke and I were leaving at the same time. If it's always been Brooke, why didn't you pick her?"

"Peyton…"

"Tell me Lucas!" She begged with her tear filled eyes. "Tell me why you didn't pick Brooke in the first place. She wanted you, you wanted her. You two could have been together and made things work, but you chose me instead."

"I did pick Brooke!" Lucas spoke out softly at the touché subject. "But you ended up pregnant."

"What?" Her green eyes found his blue ones. "You didn't know until afterwards."

"I knew…" Lucas started to speak as he relived the moment.

_Lucas folded up the last of his clothes and placed them into his suitcase. After zipping up the large black bag he looked around his room, that was semi bare. A smile fell on to his face as the thought of him and Brooke being together again filled his head. He was so thankful that Brooke had come up to him and told him that she wanted to be with him. It was like he had the big guy upstairs on his side. Everything was slowly and surely coming back together again. His eyes fell on the picture that was on his night stand. One of his many favorites of the two of them. He smiled as he remembered the day clearly. The day they spent at the beach with Nathan and Haley. Lucas was pulled from his thoughts as a knock sounded on his door. Acknowledging the knock he looked over at the door and smiled at his long time friend Marvin "Mouth" McFadden._

"_Hey Mouth." Lucas smiled. "Come by to say goodbye?"_

"_Partly." Mouth gave a weak smile. "I heard you were leaving town, with either Brooke or Peyton?"_

"_Yeah, I am." Lucas laughed slightly. "Can you guess with who?"_

"_Peyton?" Mouth spoke, knowing full well that his friend had chosen the bubbly brunette over the broody blonde._

"_Come on Mouth!" Lucas nudged him slightly. "I'm going with Brooke."_

"_As much as I want you to go with Brooke…" Mouth trailed off. "You can't go with Brooke." _

"_Why not?" Lucas looked at his friend confused. _

_Mouth sighed as he placed his hands in his pockets. It was clear that Peyton hadn't told Lucas what was going on with her. Mouth didn't want to be the one to tell Lucas this information, but he needed to know. Especially with his past family history. Mouth motioned for Lucas to sit down. The two guys took a seat. Lucas sat on his bed and Mouth sat across from him in the vacant desk chair. He swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. He started to question if he was doing the right thing or not by telling Lucas what he knew. Mouth knew that this was going to ruin everything for Lucas and Brooke, but this was serious and important._

"_Earlier today I was at the clinic." Mouth started. "I was finishing up my volunteer work."_

"_Get to the point Mouth." Lucas said, nervous to what Mouth would be telling him._

"_I was filing some paperwork, when I overheard a female voice crying." Mouth continued. "I walked around the corner and saw Peyton sitting in a chair crying. I was going to ask her if she was ok, but she was on the phone. She was talking to her father. I shrugged it off. I thought Larry may have just been shipped to another state or something for work."_

"_What are you getting at?" _

"_Right as I was about to go back to what I was doing, I heard her say it." Mouth scratched the back of his neck._

"_Say what?" _

"_Lucas, Peyton is pregnant." Mouth looked Lucas in the eye as he spoke with a serious tone._

"_You're lying!" Lucas looked at Mouth. "For you always hoping that Brooke and I would be the next Naley, you sure do have a funny way of showing it."_

"_I'm not lying Luke!" He sighed, knowing this was going to be hard. "She told Larry that she wasn't going to tell you that she was pregnant because she didn't want you to come with her because of the baby. She wanted you to come with her because you wanted to be with her for her."_

_Lucas sat on the bed, letting all of the information sink into his head. He placed his head in his hands as his mind raced. Peyton is pregnant. It was possible, and the possibility was likely as it fit into the short time frame. He mentally kicked himself. How could he have been so stupid to get a girl pregnant, that he wasn't even dating or in love with? How could he get Peyton Sawyer pregnant? This was all wrong and it messed up everything._

"_I'm sorry Lucas." Mouth stated as he moved over to Lucas and patted his shoulder. "I felt that you should know. She wasn't going to tell you and I know that you'd want to know. You always said you'd never end up like Dan and to not let you end up like Dan. So I had to tell you._

"_Thanks Mouth." Lucas sighed as he looked up at his friend. "Do you mind, I kind of want to be alone right now."_

_Mouth nodded signaling his understanding as he left. Lucas fell backwards on the bed and laid their staring up at the ceiling. He had made a promise to himself a long time ago that he'd never be like Dan, and that if he some how ended up in a situation like this that he'd be there for his child. Lucas knew what it was like to grow up without a father, and he vowed to never be that guy to his own flesh in blood. His decision to go with the love of his life quickly changed. Just when he thought that things were getting back on track, something came along to ruin it. He should have known it was too good to be true and far to easy and simple. Lucas was going to miss Brooke like crazy and he could only hope that when their paths crossed again, she'd forgive him. He rolled over onto his side and looked at the picture of him and Brooke again. A single tear slipped from his eye._

"_I'm so sorry Brooke." _

Peyton just stared at Lucas after hearing his secret confession. She was so confused. Now more so then ever. She went to speak, but nothing came out. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say just yet. So many questions ran through her mind. He never loved her, but he told her he loved her every night for the last four years, with the exception of recently. He had stopped saying he loved her for the last few months. They had sex quite often, but this would explain why she always seemed to be begging for it. Since Lucas never initiated wanting to have sex with her. All of his small actions were starting to piece themselves together. She never had his heart to begin with. If he had originally picked Brooke, why hadn't he left years ago? She looked up at the blonde man who stood in front of her.

"So you came with me because I was pregnant?" Peyton questioned. "Even though I didn't tell you right away because I wanted you to pick me because you loved me for me."

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you leave me when you had the chance to?" Silent tears fell from Peyton's eyes.

"Peyton, I may be an ass and a jerk for what I'm doing to you right now." Lucas began. "But I'm not a cold hearted person."

"You weren't trapped anymore." Peyton cried.

"I wasn't going to leave you right after you miscarried." Lucas spoke gently as he sat down next to her.

Peyton was four months pregnant when she had miscarried. The doctor said that there was no exact reason as to why she lost the baby. It was just that she was young and it being her first pregnancy her body wasn't ready for the baby. There was nothing that Peyton could have done to prevent the situation. Through that entire ordeal, Lucas stood by her side and helped her through it. Leaving was not an option at the time, as he couldn't leave Peyton alone to deal with loosing their baby. As time slowly passed, things got better for Peyton. Even though she was better now, he still chose to stay, as he was attending college and didn't want to deal with the hassle of transferring to a different university. So he stuck it out until he graduated.

"I think you should leave now." Peyton whispered as she turned her back to him as the hurt from the miscarriage came rushing back to her."Peyton, I'm sorry." Lucas placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Just go Lucas!" She yanked her body away from him, not wanting him to touch her.

"Goodbye." Lucas gave a weak smile as he turned to leave.

"Luke…" Peyton turned around to face him as their eyes locked. "Promise me you will find her and not let her get away again."

Lucas nodded his head as he walked over to Peyton and gave her a hug. He pulled away and walked out of the bedroom. As he exited the house, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. A full smile appeared on his face as he climbed into his truck and started the engine. This was his time and his chance. Lucas pulled out his wallet and took the picture of him and Brooke out. His heart melted at the photo as he placed it in his dashboard. Putting his wallet back he couldn't help but wonder where she was right this second. Was she in some other state? Could she be back in Tree Hill? Was she thinking of him like he was thinking of her? Was she out looking for him or trying to get in touch with him, like he was with her? He was going to find Brooke Davis and make things right. Yeah, four years had gone by, but they were Brooke and Lucas. Lucas and Brooke. They were Brucas. They were the ones for each other. They belonged together. No amount of time could stop Brucas from being together. Lucas put the truck in gear and pulled out of the driveway and began to drive. His destination, Tree Hill.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

_This chapter is a bit longer. I felt like everything in this chapter was needed and wouldn't fit well in another chapter. Also, since a lot of you want to see Brooke, I needed to get everything in this chapter, in order for Brooke to be in this chapter somewhat. Also thanks so much for your reviews! I love them. They make me want to continue to write for you wonderful readers! You guys are all truly amazing. Please, keep them coming. I love hearing what you have to say!_

_Thank you to… _

_Dianehermans: This chapter will be focused on Lucas again, but you will get a glimpse of Brooke in this chapter. The following chapter will have Brooke._

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: You very well could be right! Lucas thinks he can just come back and things go back to the way they are. No one will tolerate that._

_MinnTangerine: Yes, he knew! She might and she might not understand. You could be possibly right in your assumption!_

_Guest: Brooke will make a small appearance in this chapter, as it will be focused on Lucas. After this chapter, you will see more of Brooke! Hope this was worth the wait._

_ .darkxx: I'm glad you are excited to see Lucas go back to Tree Hill! We know Brooke too well. We'll see how well she has moved on from Lucas in a future chapter._

_brucas224: Lucas and Brooke will have a conversation, and that will be brought up._

_Guest(2): Glad you loved it! Hope this chapter is just as good for you!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 6**

_It's crazy how you can go months or years without talking to someone, but they still cross your mind everyday_

Lucas pulled up to the side of his house. His home. A giant smile appeared on his face as he stared at the small, cozy house in front of him. It had been far too long since he had been home and he couldn't wait till he got inside. His eyes fell to the radio clock. It was seven thirty. It was late, but still fairly early. He climbed out of his truck and grabbed his duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. The blonde man stood their, staring at the door that led to his room. The smile that was plastered on his face grew wider, if it was possible, at the memory of when he had turned his bedroom into Brooke's bedroom and painted the door red. As he looked down for a brief moment, he made the short way up to the door. He walked right in and looked around. It still looked the same. Everything was in it's same place. A sigh escaped his lips as he dropped his bag onto his bed and fell on the bed. It felt good to be back and it felt good to be in his own bed. He had forgotten just how comfortable his bed was. As tempting as it was to fall asleep at that moment, he refused. Sitting back up he looked over to the photo sitting on the night stand. He grabbed it and looked at it. He ran his finger over Brooke's face as he relived the memory of them at the beach, again.

"My Pretty Girl."

He barely whispered out as he set the frame back in it's place. Standing up he made his way out of his bedroom and into the main area of the house. It was quiet and dark. He opened the door to his mother's bedroom, or so he thought it was. But when he opened the door he was met with a bright pink room. Lucas was confused at first, but then realized it must have been Lily's room, as he noticed the toddler princess bed and the numerous amounts of girl toys laying around the room. He scratched the back of his neck as he made his way into the kitchen. It still looked the same. As he looked around, he couldn't help but think about the time he walked into the kitchen and saw Brooke on her hands and knees cleaning the floor with a sponge.

He laughed at the memory as he looked over at the fridge. His head tilted slightly as he walked closer to the fridge. Once he was close enough, there was no denying what he was seeing. He took the photo and looked at it closer. It looked pretty recent, but he wasn't too sure. His eyes scanned the photo of his four year old sister Lily, with Brooke. The once dark haired brunette, now golden, brown brunette was holding Lily on her hip. Lily had her small arms wrapped around Brooke's neck as their cheeks were pressed up against each other's. They were smiling silly, giant, all teeth showing smiles for the camera. Feeling his heart skip a beat at the site of Brooke he put the picture back, while shaking his head. The two girls looked extremely close and now that he thought about it, Lily had some of Brooke's traits. If Brooke had been in Tree Hill, obviously that would explain some of Lily's similar traits she shared with the brunette. The thought crossed his mind. If Brooke was in Tree Hill, why hadn't his mother mentioned it to him?

He shrugged it off as he walked out back to the garage. As he walked in, he quickly took notice that the garage was no longer a garage, but a bedroom. In that moment it clicked. They turned Karen's old room into Lily's room and the garage became Karen and Andy's room. A lot had changed in his house, and it would take some time getting used to it.

XoX

_Missing someone is your heart's way of reminding you that you love them._

The next stop on his list was the River Court. He missed that place like no other. That place was like his second home. It was his world. His world that he shared with Brooke. He remembered telling her that she was the biggest part of his world. The memories that kept coming into his head only made him miss Brooke that much more. It was starting to drive him crazy, but he wanted to see the River Court before he went on his mission to find Brooke. As he pulled onto the grass, he noticed a few people playing basketball. He squinted his eyes as he got closer. A giant smile formed as he realized who some of the people were. He pulled up closer and put his truck in park. A laugh escaped him as he watched everyone stare at the truck with confused faces. He scanned over the six people, well technically the two adults and four toddlers and realized he knew four out of the six. He wondered how long he could sit there before they realized who he was. He tapped the steering wheel as he contemplated waiting a bit longer. Not being able to contain his excitement, he got out of the truck, shutting the door behind him.

"UNCLE LUCAS!" Jamie screamed as he ran over to his uncle.

"LUCAS!" Lily freaked out as she followed suit and ran over to him.

Lucas bent down as the two four year olds ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around his sister and nephew hugging them just as tight as they were. His smile grew as he smiled at his good friend Skills, and he was assuming his girlfriend still, Bevin. They two smiled back at Lucas in return. His eyes then fell onto the two children that looked to be about the same age as Jamie and Lily. They were looking at him with curious faces. He smiled at the blue eyed, blonde haired little boy and the hazel eyed, brunette haired little girl. Taking notice of Lucas smiling at them, the two children waved shyly at him. They weren't sure if they should talk to him, as they were taught not to talk to strangers, but everyone seemed to know him and be comfortable with him. Jamie and Lily finally let go of Lucas after what seemed like forever. They then quickly hurried back over to their friends and resumed throwing the basketball around, excluding Skills and Bevin from their pervious game of girls vs. boys.

"Luke, my man!" Skills gave him a hug. "It's been a while."

"Hey Lucas!" Bevin smiled pulling him into a huge hug.

"It's nice to see you guys again." Lucas smiled as Bevin finally let him go. "I've missed this place. I've missed you guys, and everyone."

"This place has surely missed you too." Skills laughed as they made their way over to the picnic table.

"So, you two are still together?" Lucas questioned awkwardly.

"Since high school!" Bevin smiled brightly. "Bevills staying strong!"

"Bevills?" Lucas tried to contain is laugh.

"You know, Bevills." Bevin looked at him like he was dumb. "Naley, Braley, Brathan, Brachel, Laley, Lathan, Levin and Brul… Brucas!"

"Bevills is Skills and Bevin." Skills shook his head at Bevin.

"Who is Brul?" Lucas caught on to Bevin's slip up.

"Brul is…" Bevin stuttered trying to think quickly.

"She meant Brulls." Skills cut in, to divert the conversation. "Brooke and Skills."

"Oh." Lucas laughed as he watched Bevin mumble something to Skills then went over to play with the kids. "So, the couple name ships still lives on."

"Yeah, they sure do." Skills laughed at the thought. "Brooke still insists we use them."

"She does, does she?" Lucas took quick notice. "Brooke's in Tree Hill?"

"Yeah, she's here." Skills shrugged his shoulders. "Has been for the last two years."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucas questioned.

"Luke, when was the last time we talked?" Skills questioned back.

"Good point." Lucas sighed as he looked out at the kids.

He smiled as he watched Bevin play with the kids, two of which he still was unsure of who they were. Lucas assumed they were just friends of Jamie and Lily from school. Although, he couldn't shake the feeling of seeing them before. They looked oddly familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He watched as the little blonde boy shot the basketball, and shockingly made the shot. The small brunette girl threw her hands in the air and jumped up and down cheering on for the boy who made the shot. She then ran over to the boy and hugged him. It was a cute moment and he couldn't help but smile at the scene he had just witnessed.

"The boy has got a nice jump shot." Lucas laughed, but was serious. "He's got talent."

"Yeah, Alan loves basketball." Skills smiled at the kids. "Aria loves cheering him on."

"Alan and Aria?" Lucas looked back over at Skills.

"The two kids' names." Skills answered. "They're fraternal twins."

"I never would have guessed that they were brother and sister." Lucas looked back over at the twins. "They look like polar opposites."

"Yeah, looks can be deceiving." Skills chuckled. "But man, do they share some personality traits! They are both sneaky and quite smart."

"How old are they?" Lucas smiled as he watched Bevin be a referee for the two on two game that was happening.

"They are four." Skills watched the kids. "Alan and Aria were born a month after Jamie and Lily were born."

"Interesting." Lucas stared at the kids playing.

There was a moment of silence between the two men as they watched the children playing. Lucas felt like Skills wasn't telling him something by the way he seemed to be acting and speaking. Then again, he thought that he could just be imagining things since it had been so long since the last time they had spoke. Also with Bevin, she seemed very flakey. But then again, Bevin had always been flakey, so he couldn't hold anything against her. People changed over time, and Skills and Bevin could have possibly changed too. Lucas decided that he was just reading too far into things and let his thoughts subside.

"So, where's Goldilocks?" Skills asked looking around, thinking Peyton would pop up somewhere.

"In Savannah." Lucas looked over at Skills. "We broke up."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it just wasn't working out." Lucas looked up at the sky. "My heart was never really with her."

"When did you two break up?"

"Earlier today."

"If your heart was never with her, why did you go with her?" Skills looked at his blonde friend. "And why did you stay with her for four years?"

"It's complicated." Lucas spoke not wanting to get into details.

"Luke?" Skills couldn't help but remember how things went down four years ago.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you come back to Tree Hill?"

"I missed this place." Lucas smiled. "This is my home. Plus, after I broke up with Peyton, I really didn't have much of a choice."

"Ok. Good enough reasons." Skills rolled his eyes. "Now, what's the real reason?"

"That's it." Lucas lied.

"Luke, you may have been gone for four years, but I still can tell when you are lying."

"Why do you think I came back?" Lucas looked Skills in his eyes.

"You really want my opinion?" Skills looked at him with disbelief.

"Yeah, what other reason would I come back home?" Lucas laughed nervously.

"Brooke." Skills answered simply.

Lucas quickly diverted his eyes away from Skills. How did Skills know? Was his feelings for Brooke that obvious? It was possible that Skills could have put two and two together, from their pervious discussion about Brooke being in Tree Hill. His eyes fell back over to the kids playing, as he tried to avoid eye contact with his friend. He wasn't ready to receive a lecture from him, as he knew one would be coming from Haley. The long silence that was going on was soon broken by Skills. The silence was a dead giveaway that Skills was indeed correct in his assumption as to why Lucas had returned to Tree Hill.

"Lucas!"

"If you are going to give me a lecture, I don't need it." Lucas sighed. "I'm already preparing myself for the lecture with Haley."

"Fine." Skills spoke. "But I am going to give you one piece of advice."

"What's that?"

"The past is the past." Skills looked at his friend, seeing that same look he saw in his eyes four years ago. "Don't let it kill you. Get over the bad things that happened. It's gone. People change. Memories remain. But its time to move on."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lucas asked looking for answers.

"It means…" Skills began, but wasn't able to finish his sentence as his phone started ringing.

Skills answered his phone and held a finger up to Lucas to tell him to hold on a second. By the sound of the conversation, he assumed it was Haley or Nathan on the other line. Shortly after, Skills hung up the phone and stood up from the picnic table, forgetting the interrupted conversation he was having with Lucas.

"Alright monsters, it's time to go home!" Skills said with a hint of relief in his voice.

"I can take Jamie and Lily home." Lucas stood up from his seated position.

"Really?" Skills looked over at Lucas. "Thanks man! Lily is staying over at Haley's"

"No problem." Lucas laughed as Jamie and Lily said goodbye to Alan and Aria. "I was heading that way anyway."

"Bevin, let's get these kids in the car so we can hurry and get home." Skills spoke eagerly.

"Anything for you, my sexy man!" Bevin giggled as she began to walk with the kids to their car.

"Thanks again Lucas!" Skills smiled. "I may just get lucky tonight."

"Good luck." Lucas laughed.

They all said their final goodbyes and loaded the kids up in their cars. Both parties were quickly on the road to their next destination. It was a good twenty minutes until Lucas pulled into Nathan and Haley's driveway. They were going to be in for a surprise when they saw him. Haley had been begging Lucas to come home for a visit and he had put it off one too many times for her liking. He put the car in park and checked the backseat. He smiled at the two sleeping children in the back. He contemplated on how to get the two out of the car without waking them. A few minutes later, he had managed to carry both children to the front door and he rang the doorbell with his elbow. He waited patiently with both kids fast asleep in his arms. Lucas could hear the muffled sounds of Nathan and Haley and he began to smile. When the door opened he was met by Nathan.

"Lucas?!" Nate was shocked as his eyes grew larger.

"Hey Nate!"

"Hales!" Nathan shouted from the doorway.

"What?" Haley questioned walking into the main room. "LUCAS!"

"Hey Hales!"

"OMG! What are you doing here?" Haley freaked out in excitement.

"Can we put these two to bed first?" Lucas started to frown. "I'm worried I may drop them."

Nathan quickly took Jamie into his arms and led Lucas up the stairs to the room Lily would be using. They tucked both children into bed before heading back downstairs. Haley had made them all some drinks and had them waiting in the living room. They all sat down and began to catch up on everything. Nathan and Haley told Lucas about Jamie and everything he had missed out on. They also explained that Andy and Karen were out of town on a small vacation. Lucas had told them about his break up with Peyton, but didn't go into much detail. He wasn't ready to talk about that openly with just anyone yet. He needed to talk to Brooke first, as he didn't want her to find out from someone else.

"So are you back for good?" Haley asked, hoping he was.

"Yes, I'm back for good." Lucas laughed slightly. "It feels good to be back."

"I bet it does." Nathan eyed his brother oddly. "Who have you seen so far?"

"I ran into Skills and Bevin at the River Court." Lucas smiled. "Obviously since I brought the kids home."

"Anyone else?" Nathan asked as Haley nudged him.

"I met Alan and Aria." Lucas shrugged. "They seemed like good kids."

"You met them!?" Haley choked on her drink slightly.

"Yeah?" Lucas looked at her confused. "Was I not supposed to meet them?"

"No, no." Haley laughed it off. "I just forgot that Skills and Bevin were watching them too."

"Huh." Lucas could tell she was lying, but shrugged it off. "So…"

"Yes she's in Tree Hill." Nathan rolled his eyes. "Finally, took you long enough to beat around the bush."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Lucas lied.

"Sure you don't." Nathan shook his head. "You've been dying to know any information about Brooke since you walked in the door."

"Lucas?" Haley eyed her best friend.

"Guilty." Lucas smiled as he sipped his drink.

"Lucas, you can't just come back and expect everything to go back to how it was!" Haley said.

"I know…"

"I don't think you do know Lucas." Haley shook her head sadly. "I knew I recognized that look on your face. Lucas, it's been four years. Let it go!"

"I need to see her Haley." Lucas pleaded and looked at Nathan, who stayed silent.

"No, you will not see her!" Haley was clearly upset. "You can't just leave for four years and expect to come back and have Brooke come running back into your arms. It just doesn't work like that. You should have stayed, you should have went after Brooke. But you didn't! You CHOSE Peyton! So, now that it didn't work out with you and Peyton, you think you can just walk back into her life? I don't think so!"

Lucas was speechless. He knew he was going to get a mouthful from Haley, but not like this. She was clearly angry and upset. Lucas thought she'd be happy that he had returned to Tree Hill. Something wasn't right. He could sense it. It was like he had touched a touchy subject when Brooke was brought up. Lucas could tell that the two women had grown extremely close just by the way Haley had stood up for Brooke. As he was about to speak Haley just shook her head. She kissed Nathan and said goodnight to him. She then preceded to walk up the stairs. Lucas sighed as he looked over at Nathan who had a nervous look on his face. He knew something, and Lucas wanted to know what it was.

"What don't I know?" Lucas asked once Haley disappeared up the stairs.

"Luke, she has a point." Nathan sighed standing up and walking over to a table.

"I know, but…"

"What was your plan Luke?" Nathan question as he scribbled something down on the piece of paper. "Just come back, tell Brooke the truth and then have her fall back into your arms and live happily ever after?"

"I didn't have a plan." Lucas looked down at his hands.

"Here." Nathan said handing him the paper.

"What's this?"

"Brooke's address." Nathan looked at his brother sadly.

"Thanks." Lucas smiled at his younger brother.

The two brothers shared a hug before Lucas left the house. Nathan watched as his brother got into his truck and drove away. Nate shook his head as he shut the door and locked it behind him. When he turned around, he was met with a very angry Haley. She was starring daggers into him and he swore he could feel one pierce his heart. He wasn't in the mood for an argument, and he knew in his heart that he did what was right.

"Why did you give him her address?" Haley questioned. "I can't believe you did that!"

"He needs this Haley." Nate said wrapping his arms around her. "It's the only way that this will possibly end."

"It's not going to end Nathan!" Haley looked up at him. "It's just going to make things worse!"

"He's going to find out sooner or later." Nathan replied sadly. "He needs to see for himself."

XoX

_One day, you're going to wake up and realize how much you care about me… and when that day comes.. I'll be waking up with the guy that already knew_

Lucas was parked outside of the large white house. He had been sitting there for a good half an hour. The fact that Brooke was behind the door, the red door of the house. His heart was racing and his palms became sweaty. It had been four years. Four years too long since he had last seen her. He had become a nervous wreck. He was so set on coming back to Tree Hill and making Brooke his again. The words that Haley, Nathan and Skills had said to him kept running through his head. That's what was making him so nervous. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and took a deep breath. Slowly he got out of the car and made his way up to the red door. A smile formed at the thought of Brooke being the girl behind the red door. In that moment his nerves had vanished and he felt invincible. He knocked on the door and then shoved his hands in his pockets. It was a good few minutes, before the porch light came on. His eyes looked up as the light illuminated the doorway where he stood. His smile grew larger as he heard the twist of the door knob. The door opened, and Lucas' face turned to confusion.

"Hello?" The man questioned looking at him. "Can I help you?"

"Um…" Lucas was at a loss of words. "I think I have the wrong house."

"Where are you heading?" He asked. "I can point you in the right direction."

"My brother gave me this address." Lucas handed him the piece of paper.

"Well, you're at the right place." He replied looking at the blonde man. "You look familiar."

"I do?" Lucas raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met before."

"I'm Julian Baker."

"Doesn't ring a bell." Lucas thought hard, but didn't recognize the man.

"Hm, and you are?" Julian asked with a smile.

"Lucas." Lucas stared at the man. "Lucas Scott."

Lucas watched as the tall, brown eyed man lost the color in his face. Clearly this Julian guy knew him, or at least of him. The two men had locked eyes on one another. As they stared at one another, a faint memory repeated over and over in Lucas' head. The day he left with Peyton. They drove by Brooke's house and he saw her. She was being spun around by some guy. Him. This Julian guy was the guy he saw her with. As he looked at him more, he realized that he did look familiar. It was hard to remember him as he had only seen him when they passed by. Lucas felt his heart tighten. Everything Nathan, Skills and Haley had told him earlier screamed in his head. Images of the two kids at the River Court, Alan and Aria ran through his head. He knew why the twins looked so familiar to him. All of a sudden everything started to piece itself together. His heart cracked as he heard her soft, sweet, raspy voice coming towards the door.

"Julian!" Brooke spoke as she made her way down the stairs. "Are you ready for desert?"

She made it down the stairs in a short, skimpy, black robe that hid her lingerie underneath. The robe was opened slightly to reveal a bit of cleavage. As she walked closer to Julian, she noticed that he had the front door open. The space between her and Julian grew shorter and shorter with each step she took. Brooke was curious as to who was at their house so late. She placed her hand on Julian's shoulder when she finally reached him. That's when he finally tore his gaze away from the blonde at the door and looked at her. The brunette bombshell took notice of Julian's face. The color had been completely drained from his face and he looked as if he had seen a ghost. Brooke kinked her brow as she became intrigued in what had made Julian so pale. Her eyes looked towards the door. Her breath got caught in her throat as her hazel eyes locked with his blue eyes for a long moment. She blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision. She couldn't believe she was actually seeing him standing in front of her. This couldn't be him. She had to be dreaming. There was no way this was real. Lucas Scott was not standing there in her doorway.

"Lucas?"

For the second time in her life, she had become speechless yet again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

_This chapter is a bit longer. I felt like everything in this chapter was needed and wouldn't fit well in another chapter. Also, since a lot of you want to see Brooke, I needed to get everything in this chapter, in order for Brooke to be in this chapter somewhat. Also thanks so much for your reviews! I love them. They make me want to continue to write for you wonderful readers! You guys are all truly amazing. Please, keep them coming. I love hearing what you have to say!_

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: Maybe, maybe not. You'll have to see how things turn out in future chapters_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: That's true, Julian and Rachel are team Brooke all the way. But Rachel has a very small connection/relationship with Lucas, which will be brought up later in the story._

_MinnTangerine: Somebody gets heartbroken, somebody always does! _

_Nikki: I'm glad that you love this story! Lucas is an ass, I agree. This story will be a Brucas/Brulian focus story, so you will see moments. I'm so happy that I have you hooked! Thanks for the compliment and review!_

_bjq: Thanks! Hope this one is awesome for you too!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 7**

_That heartbreaking moment when you find out that the one you love most in the world has found someone else to love_

"Lucas?!" Brooke barely mustered out.

"Lucas?!" Julian looked between Brooke and Lucas, realizing that it was the infamous Lucas Scott that had broken Brooke's heart one too many times.

"Maybe I should go." Lucas spoke softly as he looked down at the ground while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, maybe you should." Julian looked at Lucas with disgust.

"Julian!" Brooke pulled on Julian's arm. "Just give me a second Lucas."

Lucas nodded his head, as Brooke pulled Julian towards the staircase. Julian looked back over at the open door, and rolled his eyes. Brooke shook her head and rolled her eyes at Julian as she walked back over to the door and shut it to where it was open ajar. She made her way back over to Julian and looked into his eyes. She could see the disgust still evident in his brown orbs. They had just had a great night out and she didn't want the night to end on a bad note. Without speaking, she stood on her tip toes and pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss spoke more then any words could speak. Julian pulled Brooke closer to him as he tried to deepen the kiss. Brooke reluctantly pulled away at that moment. This time when she looked up into his eyes she saw the sympathy wash over him. Julian gave her a small smile, which indicated he was ok with Brooke talking with Lucas. Even if it was late at night.

"I won't be long." Brooke kissed his cheek.

"Before you go out there, do you think you could put something a little less sexy on?" Julian questioned eyeing the brunette up and down.

Brooke raised an eyebrow as she looked down at her ensemble. A light shade of pink washed over her face as she noticed all of the skin she had showing. The little black robe she was wearing left little to the imagination. She bit her bottom lip as she pulled the robe closed over her chest. She then proceeded up the stairs to change. Shortly after changing into a pair of black sweat pants and Julian's overly large hoodie that he insisted on, she made her way to the front door. Before she walked out, she couldn't help but wonder why he was here. The last she heard, was that Lucas had left with Peyton and rarely came back to visit. She breathed in a deep breath as she walked outside onto the porch. Her eyes spotted him sitting on the porch swing. He was looking down at his hands and playing with his fingers. A small smile came across her face as she made sure the door was shut and she made her way over to Lucas. Once she was close enough, she leaned against the side railing while crossing her arms over her chest.

Lucas took notice of her presence and looked up at her. Brooke Davis. His eyes scanned her up and down, taking her all in. He tried to make it less obvious, but they both knew Lucas wasn't able to be less obvious when it came to checking Brooke out. His heart skipped a beat as he was in awe. She looked amazing, even in an overly large hooded sweatshirt. Lucas shook his head and rolled his eyes slightly. He knew exactly why she was wearing the sweatshirt. Julian was obviously trying to mark his territory. He couldn't blame the guy, he would have done the same thing if he was in Julian's shoes. That thought quickly left his mind as Brooke smiled at him. It was a simple sweet smile and it made his heart melt every time. He had played this scenario out in his mind so many times, just so he would know what to say. But here he was, speechless and not knowing where to even begin.

"So…" Brooke let the word linger as Lucas looked up at her again.

"You look good." Lucas spoke the first thing that came to his mind.

"Thanks!" She laughed slightly. "You don't look to bad yourself."

"This is awkward." Lucas scratched the back of his neck.

"You're telling me." She giggled at the situation.

"You're not helping the situation." Lucas chuckled along with her giggles.

"Sorry." Brooke tried to stop her laughter.

"How have you been?" He asked as he looked up at her.

"I've been great!" She smiled at him. "Life has treated me really good."

"How so?"

"Well, for starters Clothes' over Bros is a giant success." Brooke beamed at the thought.

"Wasn't that the line you created in high school?"

"Yeah, it was." She spoke with happiness. "All thanks to you."

"Oh yeah." Lucas looked away from her.

"How have you been Lucas?"

"I've been good." He licked his lips nervously.

"Lucas, let's stop beating around the bush." Brooke finally put her foot down. "What are you doing here?"

His ice blue eyes looked into her deep hazel eyes. He knew why this was so hard for him. He would have to admit that he was wrong in what he did, which he didn't have a problem with. It was the fear of rejection that was making everything so hard. When he pictured this moment, he saw Brooke running up to him and embracing him in a giant hug. He'd then pull her back and kiss her. Their kiss would speak volumes and they wouldn't need to exchange words. But the situation was completely opposite. By the looks of it, Brooke was currently unavailable. He shut his eyes and the words that Peyton spoke to him before he left rang through his head. _Promise me you will find her and not let her get away again._ He opened his eyes and knew exactly what he had to do. Brooke may not be his right now, but she would be. He had to fight for her.

"Julian is ok with you out here talking to me?" Lucas looked up at Brooke. "Is that why you're standing, rather then sitting next to me?"

"Julian trusts me." Brooke answered, as she moved over to the seat next to Lucas. "He knows who you are and what we used to be to each other."

"I kind of got the hint." Lucas laughed. "The sweatshirt is pretty obvious."

"Lucas…"

"I've missed you Brooke."

"I missed you too Lucas."

"No Brooke." Lucas turned towards her and took her hands into his. "I made a mistake. I should have chosen you. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry Brooke. I always wonder how things would have turned out if I made a different decision. We would have graduated college and our careers would have skyrocketed. We would have gotten married, after I gave you the most romantic proposal ever. Then we'd have a house full of kids. We could have been happy together. We can still be happy together."

Brooke looked down at her hands that were still being held by Lucas' hands. She wasn't expecting this. She almost didn't believe she had heard him correctly. Lucas chose Peyton four years ago. Now here he was, telling her what an amazing life they could live together. Who did he think he was? Did he really think that he could just come back and everything would go back to normal. She pulled her hands away from Lucas and stood up. She wrapped herself in a hug trying to comfort herself.

"Lucas, that sounds like a perfect life." Brooke finally looked at him. "But that's not our life anymore."

"It could be." Lucas stood up moving closer to Brooke. "We can be together."

"Lucas, you're four years too late." Brooke looked up at him, as she looked at him sadly.

"Brooke, I love you."

"Stop!" Brooke put her finger to his lips to silence him. "Just stop! You made your decision four years ago. You chose Peyton. It took me a while, but I accepted the fact that, me and you, we're just not meant to be. It killed me to come to terms with that. But I've moved on. You can't just show up, four years later out of the blue on my doorstep and expect me to fall right back in your arms!"

"Brooke…"

"God Lucas, do you think of anyone but yourself?" Brooke was angry now. "You think you can just come back and expect everything to go back to the way it was? Well newsflash Lucas, it doesn't work that way! Sometimes you got to accept the fact that certain things will never go back to how they used to be. While you were gone, the world didn't stop to wait for you. I moved on with my life Lucas. I wasn't sitting around waiting for you." Brooke shook her head with anger. "You're still the same old Lucas. The guy who only thinks of himself and his own needs. In our entire relationship, I felt like I was the reason why we didn't work out. But I know now, that that wasn't the case. It was you."

Lucas just stared at Brooke. He wasn't expecting her to become so angry. Selfishly, he thought that she'd be happy. Clearly he was wrong. The worst part about her lecturing him, was that he knew everything she was saying was true. He was only thinking of himself and his wants. But couldn't she see his point of view? He missed out on four years of her life. He didn't want to miss anymore time with her. He was in love with Brooke and he couldn't just ignore it. He reached up to try and place his hand on her shoulder but she stepped back from him. Their eyes locked onto one another. Lucas could see the anger subsiding and changing into hurt. He didn't know what to say. How could he make this right?

"What do you want from me Lucas?" Brooke breathed out, feeling a small sense of defeat.

"I just want you Brooke." Lucas shrugged. "I don't know how else to say it."

"No you don't." Brooke fought the tears that threatened to fall as Lucas just stared at her in confusion of her response. "You had me. You had me after you were in that accident. I was by your side the whole time, and you chose Peyton! You had me four years ago and you left, with Peyton!"

"I want to make that up to you." Lucas pleaded with his eyes.

"It has nothing to do with me!" Brooke looked up at the roof. "It is about you, and it is always about you. What you need and what you want. Ya know.. It seems that you only want me when you can't have me."

Brooke looked down at the ground, as the wheels turned in her head. Lucas stared at her, waiting for her to continue. He knew that he had hurt Brooke so long ago, but seeing her right now made him realize just how bad he had hurt her. Lucas was starting to see where Brooke was coming from and now he felt like he was loosing her all over again.

"You like the chase, and that's all." Brooke bit her lip as she looked into his blue eyes. "So, you know what? You can have it."

"Brooke, I love you!" Lucas blurted out again, as if it was what she wanted to hear.

"I love Julian." Brooke turned her back to him and made her way to the door.

"I remember, you told me that you wanted me to fight for you." Lucas said. "Well, here I am. I'm fighting for you. I won't stop fighting, until you see, that I'm the guy for you."

"Don't get me wrong Lucas.." Brooke turned the knob to the door. "You still meant the world to me, but you're just not worth the fight anymore."

He felt her slipping away as memories of her and him ran through his head. What did he need to do? His heart raced and he began to panic. Before he even realized what he was doing, he gently grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. Their bodies touched for the first time in years and they still fit together perfectly. Brooke's hand pressed up against his chest, over his heart in reaction to him pulling her to him. Lucas placed his hand on the small of her back and his other hand on the back of her head. He looked into her wide, shocked hazel eyes. Seconds later, Lucas' lips crashed against Brooke's. The kiss seemed to last forever. Brooke pushed him away and he looked into her eyes again. He searched them, but couldn't find any hint of feeling or emotion. He felt it, and he knew that she felt it too. She had to have felt it. There was still something there. But to his dismay, Brooke pushed herself away from him and backed up towards the door.

"Go home Lucas."

After those words were spoken, Brooke disappeared behind the door. Lucas stood there for a short while, in a frozen stance. He wasn't sure what exactly just happened and he wasn't sure where they stood. After running a hand across his face he made his way to his truck and got inside. He sat there for a moment, taking in what just happened. A small smile fell on his face as his fingers went and touched his lips. The kiss just reminded him of how much he loved Brooke. Movement out of the corner of his eyes made them dart up to the window on the second story of the house. The silhouette of two people was present in the blinds. He knew it was Brooke and Julian. He watched as the shadows embraced into a hug and then a kiss. He swallowed the lump that was in the back of his throat as the lights dimmed down. He looked down at the steering wheel as he started up the engine and backed out of the driveway. His mind raced with many thoughts. He loved Brooke Davis with everything he had in him, but did he even stand a chance at winning her heart back after everything he had put her through?

XoX

**A/N: Sorry this chapter took a little longer to post. I am going to try my best to update between Friday night and Sunday night. Thanks again to everyone who reads my story. Please let me know what you think. I love to hear your opinions and your ideas on what you feel should happen. So, please, let me know what you think! You guys are all amazing!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: Glad you loved this chapter! Yes, Go Lucas! _

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: Yes, Brooke let him have it. Someone needs to!_

_ .darkxx: It may seem and look like Lucas is the villain right now. The way I see it is, he can't come back the hero and except everything to work out the way he wants it._

_xtinkxproductionsx: Thanks about the chapter! I checked your videos out and they are amazing! I have a couple ideas about it. PM me if you are interested._

_Guest: I'm glad you are liking the story. A happy ending is possible._

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 8**

_Two people don't have to be together right now, in a month, or in a year. If those two people are meant to be, then they will be together somehow, sometime in life._

Lucas dribbled the basketball around on the court before taking a shot and making it in. He had been at the Rivercourt for the last hour, shooting baskets and thinking. Thinking about what he had done the pervious night. He had kissed Brooke, and he didn't even realize what he had done until after he had done it. When his lips met hers, he was just reminded further of how much he was in love with her. It made his feelings that much stronger for her. The way he practically forced himself on her was bothering him the most. He knew he was wrong for doing that. What he did was uncalled for and wrong. She had a boyfriend for goodness sakes. Lucas wasn't that kind of guy, to break up a happy couple. He had more respect for people, and yet there he was, making a move on another man's woman. Even if the woman was Brooke, he knew he had no right to do what he did. He should have never kissed her, even though it was amazing. Lucas had thought about the kiss all night and when he woke up, the kiss was the first thing on his mind. He dribbled the ball again, then made a three point shot. A slight smirk came on his face as he began to remember a night he spent at the Rivercourt.

_Lucas and Rachel Gatina sat at the small picnic table on their fantasy boy draft date. He had been rambling on about Brooke the entire time. Brooke should have picked him, and he was upset that she hadn't. Instead she had chosen Chris Keller, because Rachel had tricked her into it. Part of him thought that she wouldn't even go out with Keller, but when Rachel took Lucas to Brooke's apartment, he saw them. Nathan, Haley, Brooke and Chris all getting into the same car. How could she do that to him? Didn't Brooke know what a jerk Chris was?_

"_I can't believe she's doing this." Lucas spoke his thoughts out loud as he turned to look at Rachel._

"_So, she's on a date with Chris." Rachel replied looking at the cans of beer on the table. "It doesn't mean anything."_

"_No, it does." Lucas shook his head, confusion clear on his face. "This guy has caused a lot of trouble and Brooke knows that."_

"_Ok, so what is the deal with you and Brooke anyway?" Rachel questioned, determined to prove to Lucas that he hasn't met 'the one' for him yet._

"_She's just not ready to commit." Lucas shrugged his shoulders._

"_Right." Rachel gave a small smile. "That's usually what I tell guys that I'm not really into."_

"_And she wants to make sure I'm really serious about her." Lucas answered with amusement. "You know, plus…"_

"_Plus what?"_

"_She's the one!" _

"_Why?"_

"_She just is." Lucas smiled at the thought of Brooke. "I feel it. You know, Pascal says 'the heart has reasons that reason cannot know'."_

"_What did Pascal say about Chris Keller?" Rachel smirked, thinking she had won the disagreement._

_Lucas looked at her and gave a slight but sarcastic laugh as he put his head down to his knee. He had just begun to stop thinking about Chris and Brooke and the fiery red head had to bring him back up. Leave it to Rachel to have a question for everything._

"_Sorry, cheap shot." Rachel quickly spoke sensing the mood dying quickly. "Ok, here's the game. You miss a shot, and you drink. You make a shot…"_

_Before Rachel could finish her sentence, Lucas grabbed the basketball and stood up on the seat of the picnic table. He arched his arms up and shot the ball towards the hoop. The ball sank through the chain net as Lucas hopped down onto the ground, a smirk on his face as he looked over at Rachel. She clearly had not done her research when coming up with the basketball drinking game._

"_I drink." Rachel said, grabbing a beer and opening it. "Ok, this was a bad idea."_

_They played the game for a while, until Lucas made the last shot. He smiled as he watched Rachel down the last beer they had. As the ball came bouncing towards Rachel, she caught it and tossed the empty can to the side. She held onto the basketball as an idea came to her mind. This was a perfect idea and she was 100% sure that it would work. If she couldn't talk any sense into the Scott boy, then she'd visually show him. _

"_Well, that's the last of it." Rachel said as she tossed the ball between her hands. "Nice shooting, Tex."_

"_So, are we going to call it a night?" Lucas questioned, hoping she would say yes._

"_Or we could play a new game." Rachel gave her infamous smirk. "How about strip basketball?"_

"_You know." Lucas looked at her. "I always figured if I met the devil, that she'd be hot and holding a basketball, but I'm gonna pass."_

"_Because of Brooke, who's on a date?" Rachel looked at Lucas with disbelief evident on her face. "Ok. Take your shirt off."_

"_Rachel?" Lucas looked at her like she was crazy. _

"_I'm not going to touch you." Rachel rolled her eyes. "You sissy virgin boy. I'm trying to make a point. Take your shirt off."_

_Lucas laughed as he reluctantly took his shirt off. There was no winning with Rachel, so he did what she asked. After he had his shirt off, Rachel gave him the ball and she took his shirt from him._

"_Alright, you say Brooke is the one…" Rachel began as she walked behind Lucas. "Your soul mate. Well, it that's the case, Call upon destiny or providence or whatever forces that are going to bring you two together." Rachel wrapped her arms around Lucas like she was hugging him from behind and he laughed slightly thinking of how ridiculous Rachel was being. "And make the shot… Blindfolded."_

_Rachel then took the shirt and twirled it up halfway. She then wrapped it around his face to cover his eyes. While she was tying the shirt, Lucas couldn't help but laugh at the idea that had made its way into Rachel's head. _

"_This is ridiculous." Lucas scoffed as he saw nothing but pitch black._

"_Come on, it's your destiny." Rachel smiled, knowing he wouldn't make the shot. "You can't miss. Ok, can you see me?" _

"_No." Lucas shook his head, in an annoyed way. _

"_Ok, I trust you." Rachel spoke after she did a funny little dance to see if he was telling the truth. "Now, follow my voice. If Brooke's the one, make the shot."_

_Lucas bounced the ball on the ground a few times before he held onto the ball. He had to make the shot. His destiny depended on it, according to Rachel. Before he took the shot, all of the moments he shared with Brooke leading up to this moment raced through his mind. Brooke and Lucas had been through so much together, that it seemed almost impossible for them to ever come back together as a couple. Deep down in his heart he knew that Brooke was the one for him. That was it. Brooke was the one for him. He could make the shot. But what if he missed? Would it mean anything? Could making a basket really determine his chances with Brooke? He shook his head as he listened to the sound of Rachel's voice. He arched his arms up high and threw the ball. He heard the chain net jingle as the ball hit the ground._

"_What happened?" _

"_It went in." Rachel spoke. "Nice shot."_

_Lucas ripped his shirt off of his head and looked up at the basket amazed. He made the shot. That had to be unbelievable and he could only wish that he had seen it. A smile appeared on his face as he suddenly had an overwhelming feeling to see Brooke wash over him._

"I thought I'd find you here."

Lucas shook the memory out of his mind as he smiled. He looked up at the voice that was speaking to him. Nathan made his way onto the black top as Lucas tossed him the ball. The tall black haired man dribbled the ball and ran up to the hoop making a lay up shot. The ball bounced back to the ground as Nathan grabbed it and passed it to Lucas.

"What's on your mind big brother?"

"Oh nothing." Lucas sighed happily at his pervious thoughts. "Just going down memory lane."

"Let me guess." Nathan spoke. "Brooke?"

"No one else." Lucas smiled, then remembered he was a bit angry at Nate. "Why'd you send me to Brooke's last night without telling me she is seeing someone?"

"Oh, Julian." Nate eyed his brother. "He's a pretty cool guy."

"Whatever." Lucas rolled his eyes as he took a jump shot.

"How did it go?" Nate questioned as he grabbed the ball and held it.

"It could have went better." Lucas sighed scratching the back of his neck.

"What happened?" Nate asked moving to sit on the bleachers.

"We talked, we fought and I kissed her." Lucas shrugged trying to play it cool.

"You what?" Nathan became angry.

"I kissed her in the heat of the moment?" Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"You know, I thought you were better then that." Nathan shook his head. "Haley was right, you just made things worse."

"Look, I know I was wrong ok!" Lucas shouted throwing the ball at the backboard of the hoop. "I screwed up…again!"

"Lucas, if you know someone is already taken, respect their relationship." Nathan said with anger clear in his voice. "Don't be the reason they end up single."

"I love her Nate." Lucas paced around. "I need her in my life."

"Well then be her friend." Nate answered. "She's moved on Lucas, and if you want her in your life, it's only going to be as a friend."

Lucas stopped his pacing and stood still for a moment. He watched as Nathan pulled his ringing cell phone out an answer it. The raven haired man stepped away from Lucas to take the call. Lucas breathed in deep as the last word Nate spoke rang through his head. The word _friend _sounded so hopeless to him. Then it clicked in his head. A smile began to spread across his face. He and Brooke had never really been friends, with the exception of the short time they spent together before she knew how he felt all those years ago. A time when they had agreed to be friends. But who were they kidding? They both were crushing off of each other. Whether Brooke wanted to admit it or not, since Lucas already admitted it. Maybe Nathan was right. Maybe being friends with Brooke and having a clean slate could be better then nothing. After all, all he wanted was for Brooke to be happy.

XoX

_Ex lovers can only remain good friends after the break up if, they're still in love or they never were in love _

Brooke and Haley sat in the Scott's living room laughing and talking. They had been hanging out for the last hour. Just like they normally did. Every morning, Brooke and Haley would meet up at one or the other's house and just kick back and relax. It had become a ritual for the two women. Doing this always made their day a bit brighter, no matter what was going on. As Haley began rambling on about something Jamie had done the other day, Brooke couldn't help but think about the night before. The night Lucas showed up on her doorstep. She was feeling so many mixed emotions about it and it was killing her not to be able to talk about it. She hadn't said anything to Julian about it, as she had been avoiding his conversation about it. She knew she'd have to tell him about it sooner or later, but she wanted her best friend's opinion. When Haley had stopped talking, Brooke took this as her chance to speak up.

"So, did you hear?" Brooke questioned putting her leg under her and sitting on it.

"Hear what?" Haley replied in question.

"Lucas is back in town." Brooke searched Haley's eyes for a reaction.

"I was wondering when you were going to tell me." Haley gave her a sad smile.

"I should have known he'd stop by here first." Brooke laughed slightly.

"Well, what happened?" Haley eyed her brunette friend.

"It was really awkward at first." Brooke began. "Julian saw Lucas before I did."

"Oh, that couldn't have been good." Haley bit her bottom lip getting more intrigued with the story.

Brooke went on to tell Haley the entire story of what had happened between Lucas and herself. It felt amazing to get this off of her chest. She was now waiting for Haley to respond. Haley had been sitting there with a shocked expression, but had yet to say anything. The suspense was killing her.

"I'm going to kill Lucas!" Haley gritted her teeth. "I told him…"

"Whoa there Feisty." Brooke giggled as she placed a hand on Haley's arm.

"I can't believe he kissed you!" Haley shook her head violently. "Even knowing that Julian, your boyfriend was right upstairs!"

"I didn't exactly push him off Hales." Brooke gulped, as Haley became quiet.

"Brooke?" Haley breathed as she turned and looked at her friend.

"Hm?"

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

The question seemed so simple and easy. It was a yes or no question. How hard could that be? It had been four years since the whole Lucas fiasco. Four years since she had her heart broken by Lucas Scott. She had moved on, and she was happy. Happy with Julian. A smile crossed her face. Why was she even questioning this?

"No, I don't." Brooke smiled. "Lucas is my past."

"Well, he's going to be your present now." Haley ran a hand through her hair. "He's come home for good."

"I figured as much." Brooke shrugged her shoulders. "Things were never easy with me and Lucas."

"That's for sure." Haley laughed a bit. "Are you prepared to deal with him being around and hitting on you all the time?"

"That won't be happening." Brooke rolled her eyes. "I plan on talking to him about it."

"You better put him in his place." Haley smiled hugging Brooke.

"I'm sure Lucas won't mind being friends." Brooke bit her bottom lip.

"You're kidding right?" Haley burst into a fit of giggles. "You and Lucas friends! That's a good one Brooke!"

"Hales, if you and Lucas can be friends, why can't Lucas and I be friends?" Brooke eyed the shorter brunette.

"One, Lucas and I never hooked up!" Haley finally contained her laughter. "And two, you and Lucas have never been just friends!"

"Yes we have!" Brooke defended, crossing her arms over her chest. "We we're friends after the whole Brooke-Lucas-Peyton love triangle part one."

"Oh please!" Haley smiled raising an eyebrow. "Lucas was so into you then! He dropped so many hints and tried to tell you. But you just didn't realize it because you were so wrapped up in Felix."

"Ugh, let's not talk about that scumbag!" Brooke made a disgusted face. "I'd like to forget that I even wasted a breath on him."

"Are you really serious about this friends thing?" Haley asked being serious finally.

"Yes, I am serious!" Brooke pouted. "Lucas and I can be friends."

"Ok, then I'll support your decision." Haley sighed with a smile. "But I'm still pissed at him for what he did."

Brooke and Haley both laughed together. Brooke was so glad to have Haley as her best friend. They had grown extremely close. Closer then they had been since she had moved back to Tree Hill. The two were almost inseparable, when they weren't working or taking care of their family. A smile formed on her face as Haley stood up and made her way into the kitchen to make lunch. Their conversation ran through her mind. Her and Lucas could be friends. It was possible. Yeah they had a history together, but that was the past. They could put that behind them and be friends. Well, at least she knew that she could put the past in the past and move forward with being Lucas' friend. She wasn't so sure if Lucas could do the same. Especially not after his confession of his undying love and affection for her. What other choice did Lucas have though? He either accepted her proposal of being just friends, or he'd have to accept the fact that she wouldn't be apart of his life at all. She just needed to figure out when she could talk to him about this whole being friends thing.

"Mommy!"

Two little kids came running down the long winding staircase. They ran towards Brooke with open arms, and she held her arms open in return. The little boy and little girl ran straight into Brooke's arms and hugged her. She hugged the two four year olds tightly as she rocked back and forth with them. Her munchkins, her babies, her everything. Brooke's smile widen as the two children pulled out of the hug and began to ramble on about something that had happened upstairs. The little conversation and banter the brother and sister were having was a bit hilarious to Brooke. She tried her best not to laugh, as the two seemed very serious about what was going on. A presence filled the room, that Brooke noticed immediately. She noticed her twins had stopped their conversation and were now looking up at the person who had entered the living room. Brooke looked up and her eyes locked with his blue eyes. They stared at one another for the longest moment, until Brooke felt a tiny arm tug on her arm. She looked over at her son, who began to speak.

"The man from the Rivercourt yesterday!" The little blonde haired, blue eyed boy spoke with a smile.

"Mommy, it's Lucas!" The little brunette haired, hazel eyed girl spoke with a smile.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I'm looking for someone to make a youtube preview/trailer for my story. If you are interested please let me know! **

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: You could possibly be right! _

_ .darkxx: I hope this next chapter is just as wonderful for you!_

_Nikki: There will be more Brulian, and Lucas suffering. After all, Lucas is going to be friend zoned. _

_MinnTangerine: You knew it! Brooke has kids. I know most stories usually have Brooke with a kid, but I wanted to add a bit of a mix to it by making her have twins! I promise there will be more bizarre moments to come!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 9**

_I hate that I'd forgive you for all that you've done to me._

Lucas stared at the trio that was in front of him. Everything and anything that he had ever learned, knew, or questioned fell out of his brain completely. To say he was at a loss of words was an understatement. He was pretty sure that his jaw had hit the floor and never returned. When he had seen the twins at the Rivercourt, he knew that they looked familiar. He just couldn't figure it out. Now, with the little girl standing directly next to Brooke, with both of them staring up at him, he could see the resemblance perfectly. Little Aria was the spitting image of Brooke. From the color and texture of her hair to the shape of her nose reflected Brooke. In that second that Lucas compared the two girls, Aria smiled a full on dimpled smile. Those dimples. There was no denying that the little girl belonged to the brunette. His eyes traveled over to the blonde boy. Just looking at him, he could see Brooke in the boy, but he didn't look anything like Brooke. Biting his bottom lip, he stared at Alan. Clearly he got his facial expressions from Brooke, as they both had the same questioning look on their faces. That's when it hit him.

Julian. Brooke and Julian. Lucas swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of his throat as he continued to stare. Brooke had a family, and that family she had, she shared with Julian. Here he was, trying desperately to win the affection of Brooke back. Never once had it even occurred to him that Brooke had created a life. A life that didn't include or involve Lucas. He cursed himself as a sincere and sad look washed over his face. He was torn in what to do. He came back to Tree Hill for Brooke. To win her back and show her that he can be the man that she knew he could be so many years ago. But how could he follow through with his intentions, when a family was in the picture. Yeah, he knew Julian and Brooke were together, but that didn't stop him from kissing her. The kiss. He was now regretting kissing Brooke. Lucas could only imagine the problems he had already created and he instantly felt guilty. There was no way he could break up a family, he just couldn't do it. But he'd be damned if he couldn't have Brooke in his life. He mentally slapped himself for not fully thinking things through before even coming back to Tree Hill. Brooke had moved on, and she had moved on without him.

"The man from the Rivercourt yesterday!" The little blonde haired, blue eyed boy spoke with a smile.

"Mommy, it's Lucas!" The little brunette haired, hazel eyed girl spoke with a smile.

Lucas smiled at the words of the two children. They remembered who he was. He wasn't sure if they would, being that he didn't really interact with either of them when he went to the Rivercourt. Finally finding some form of knowledge in his head, he moved his hand up in the air and waved at the twins and gave them a big smile.

"Hi Aria!" Lucas greeted in a more then happy tone. "Hi Alan!"

"Hi Lucas!" Alan and Aria spoke in unison, before running off and disappearing up the stairs.

Brooke was speechless. She didn't know what it was about Lucas Scott, but he always seemed to make her speechless. Brooke always had something to say, and here she was at a loss of words. Confusion masking her face. How did her babies know Lucas? Earlier on the drive over to Haley's house, they were going on and on about "a man" at the Rivercourt, but she had tuned them out. She had just assumed that Mouth, Junk, or Fergie had shown up. Apparently not, being that Lucas had just called her kids by their names. Her eyes watched as Lucas had made his way to the couch that she was sitting on. He sat down at the farthest end, but was turned and facing her.

"Hi Brooke." Lucas smiled sweetly at her.

"How do you know my kids?" Brooke shot out quickly before she even realized what she had said.

"I stopped by the Rivercourt before I came to see you that night." Lucas shrugged. "Skills told me their names, but he forgot to mention who their mother was."

"Obviously." Brooke spoke looking away from him.

"They are great kids Brooke." Lucas scratched the back of his neck. "If he pursues it, I think Alan could be a big time basketball player."

"That's what he wants to be when he grows up." Brooke laughed slightly feeling a bit awkward.

A moment of silence became present as the two didn't know what to say next. They both had the same idea that they wanted to talk to each other about. Being friends.. How to bring it up was the hard part. The silence continued to grow louder and louder. The tension in the room was starting to become unbearable. Brooke had fold her hands in her lap and was looking around at the cream colored walls with all sorts of photos and decorations hanging on them. Even though she had seen all of these things and could recite the house from memory. But these objects seemed a lot more interesting to look at then to face the awkwardness with Lucas. He on the other hand would glance around the large living room and then glance at Brooke. He was most worried about her ripping his head off for what he had done the pervious night. His eyes traveled down to his hands that rested in his lap, and he figured that he might as well be the one to speak up. The awkwardness and silence was getting way to loud and strong for his liking. But before he could say anything, Brooke had beaten him to the punch.

"I wonder where Haley disappeared off to." Brooke spoke, more so to herself.

"She's in the kitchen with Nate." Lucas offered up to her.

"How do you know?" She still refused to look at him.

"I came back with Nate from the Rivercourt." Lucas shrugged. "Brooke…"

"I should go find them." Brooke moved from the couch to a stand position.

"Brooke.." Lucas gently grabbed her arm before she could walk away. "Please…"

Her hazel orbs traveled their way down to his large hand on her small arm. She licked her lips as she stared for a moment. Her eyes making their way back up to his eyes, finally giving in to him. There was something in his eyes that had an effect on her. Brooke saw sincerity in his soft blue eyes. Taking a deep breath, she sat back down on the sofa and took her arm away from his grasp.

"Brooke, I'm really sorry about last night." Lucas admitted as he looks directly into her eyes. "I was wrong in what I did. I honestly don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have acted the way that I did. I had no idea that you had a family and…"

"Maybe if you would have just talked to me instead of putting your tongue down my throat you would have known." Brooke rolled her eyes, as she became angry about last night all over again.

"You're right." Lucas spoke sadly. "I was being selfish."

"I know I'm right!" Brooks laughed sarcastically.

"I'm truly sorry Brooke." Lucas took hold of her hand in his. "I really am sorry. For everything."

The brunette looked from the blonde down to her hand that was securely in his. She wasn't expecting an apology. Would that really work though? Lucas Scott had done so many things that had ended with her having a broken heart. She was hurt one too many times by Lucas. How could she just forgive him? It couldn't be that simple. Could it? Brooke looked back up at him and could see that he was nervous. It was like his life depended on her response. Her mind traveled back to her conversation with Haley. Lucas was back for good, and he wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. He was going to be in her life whether she wanted him to be or not. Friends. The word swam around in her head as she eyed Lucas. Haley's comment about them not being able to be just friends filled her head. Was Haley right? Lucas and Brooke, just friends. Those words did sound funny together, especially to anyone who knew their history. That was four years ago. Things were different now. They were grown adults, capable of doing what they wanted. It was time to stop living in the past and move on and put it all behind her. Forgiving Lucas would a start. A small but genuine smile formed on her face, which caused Lucas to breathe a sigh of relief slightly.

"I forgive you." Brooke squeezed his hand gently.

"Really?" Lucas' eyes widen slightly at her words.

"Yes." Brooke nodded her head. "Tree Hill is a small town, so I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"Yeah it is." Lucas smiled at her. "Since your friends with my sister in law."

"We can be friends." Brooke smiled at Lucas.

"Uh, yeah, friends." Lucas smiled back at her, hiding the pained feeling he felt when she said the word friends.

"We'll just forget that last night even happened." Brooke spoke softly looking at Lucas.

Everything from last night came rushing back to Lucas. Mostly the kiss. He loved this woman. He loved her more then he could even imagine. But his love for her had to go on the back burner. Yeah, he had originally came up with the idea to be just friends. He'd prove to her that he was the guy for her. That was the plan until he walked in and saw her with Alan and Aria. Now, when he heard the word friend, it hurt. That's what he'd be to Brooke. Just a friend. Looking at Brooke who was smiling at him, he realized that that would be ok. He'd rather have her in his life then not having her at all. He smiled back at Brooke as the two of them locked eyes for a brief moment. That moment was cut short when Lucas heard the disapproving sigh. He knew that sound all too well. He diverted his eyes to the entry way of the living room. There stood Haley James-Scott with her hands on her hips glaring at him. Lucas swallowed the lump in his throat as he could feel the strong glare on him. It was starting to give him goose bumps.

"You don't even learn do you?!"

Lucas furrowed his eyebrows at Haley, showing his confusion. He noticed Nathan behind Haley shaking his head. Nate motioned to the sofa seat in between where Lucas and Brooke were sitting. The blonde looked down at the seat and gulped. He was still holding onto Brooke's hand. It looked like an intimate moment that they were sharing, when in all actuality it was nothing of the sorts. Taking this scene and the fact that he was pretty sure Haley knew about the kiss he smiled nervously up at his best friend. The petite brunette walked over to Lucas and smacked up on the back of his head. Lucas immediately let go of Brooke's hand and placed it where he had been hit.

"OW!" Lucas spoke dramatically.

"I should have hit you harder." Haley rolled her eyes as she took the seat between Lucas and Brooke.

"What was that for?" Lucas asked, and immediately felt dumb for asking the question.

"You need to keep your lips to themselves Luke!" Haley spat at him. "Also your hands!"

"Just stop while you're ahead man." Nate laughed at the altercation between the two best friends.

XoX

_History has a way of repeating itself, whether you realize it or not._

"Thanks for having us over for dinner." Brooke smiled at Haley as she smelled the aroma that filled the kitchen. "It smells so good!"

"You say that every single time." Haley laughed as she added some pepper to the mixture.

"I just love your cooking!" Brooke spoke as she sat on a bar stool.

"This won't be awkward will it?" Haley questioned stirring the giant pot.

"Why would it be?" Brooke shrugged her shoulders as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm sure Julian doesn't want to eat with the man that kissed his girlfriend!" Haley said loudly as she turned her gaze over to Lucas and Nathan who were setting the table.

"We're just going to forget that even happened." Brooke answered looking down at her hands.

"What aren't you telling me Tigger?" Haley eyed her best friend, sensing there was still something Brooke hadn't told her.

"Nothing." Brooke quickly smiled looking up at Haley. "Everything will be fine, let's just not bring it up."

"Fine, but I still plan on torturing Lucas." Haley giggled. "Until I feel he has learned his lesson."

"I think you are just using this as an excuse to mess with him for being gone for four years." Brooke kinked her eyebrow, getting a mocked shocked look on Haley's face.

"I would never!" A evil smirked appeared on Haley's face. "That would just be mean!"

"Oh, I'm so sure." Brooke giggled as she stole a piece of carrot that Haley had chopped up.

"Hey Sticky Fingers!" Haley pointed the knife at Brooke. "Next time I'll chop your fingers off."

"Yes Tutor Mom!" Brooke laughed as the two of them giggled together.

"You are just as bad as Nathan and Jamie." Haley shook her head with a smile. "They double team me."

"How so?" Brooke asked as her eyes looked over at the dinning room where the guys were.

"One of them will sweet talk me and make me forget about dinner for a short moment." Haley continued to chop some more vegetables. "While the other one will steal two pieces of whatever it is I'm cooking."

"Those are Scott boys for you." Brooke giggled. "Speaking of, when can I expect another little niece?"

"Not for a while." Haley rolled her eyes. "If you are so insistent on me having another baby, why don't you and Julian try for another one?"

"We already have two handfuls." Brooke sighed as her eyes fell on the blonde who had just turned his gaze away from her. "I don't think we are ready for another baby."

"So that means I should have one?" Haley looked up at Brooke who had not responded to her question and followed her gaze. "Brooke!"

"What?" Brooke looked away from the dinning room and back to Haley.

"When is Julian getting here?" Haley eyed the hazel eyed woman.

"Um…" Brooke looked up at the clock on the wall. "He should be here right about now."

"Speak of the devil." Haley spoke as a knock sounded on the door. "Maybe you should go greet your boyfriend, with a kiss."

Brooke rolled her eyes at Haley as she slid off of the bar stool and made her way to the main entrance of the house. Haley stood there watching Brooke leave the room. Once Brooke was out of the kitchen, Haley looked over at the dinning room. She watched as Nathan and Lucas laughed about something, as they were placing the plates on the table. A sigh escaped her lips as she went back to cooking. Something in her gut was telling her that this "friends" thing was going to end up hurting someone. As much as she liked Julian, and loved the way Julian treated Brooke, Haley just could scratch the feeling that Lucas and Brooke hadn't had the closure they both needed. Those two had always been drawn to one another, it was just the way they were. Haley shook her head at the thought of how this thing was going to play out. This friendship between Lucas and Brooke was going to be the beginning of a disaster waiting to happen.

XoX

_What if I didn't break your heart and never ever ruined your world? What if I wasn't so selfish and took one second just to listen to you? We would still be together, be together, be together right now_

"Thanks for letting me crash dinner little brother!" Lucas laughed as he places a glass on the table.

"It's the least I could do." Nathan chuckled to himself.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked as he looked up at Nathan.

"You just got friend-zoned." Nathan smirked. "I thought a good home cooked meal would soften the blow."

"Real funny Nate." Lucas rolled his eyes as he heard Haley shouting towards him.

"I'm sure Julian doesn't want to eat with the man that kissed his girlfriend!" Haley said loudly as she turned her gaze over to Lucas and Nathan who were setting the table.

"She isn't going to let that one go is she." Lucas sighed as he looked up over at the girls in the kitchen giggling.

"Probably not." Nathan shrugged. "At least not for a long while."

"Hey Nate?" Lucas questioned as a thought came to him.

"Hm?"

"Why didn't you tell me Brooke had kids?" Lucas asked as he placed a fork on the placemat.

"It must have slipped my mind." Nathan answered as he placed some knifes on the table.

"Nathan, I know you're lying to me." Lucas stared at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't my place to tell you, Luke." Nathan shrugged. "I thought you'd go over there and see Julian and Brooke together. I didn't think you'd launch yourself on her."

"If I would have know she had kids…"

"It shouldn't have mattered Lucas." Nathan licked his lips as he moved the glass. "You shouldn't have kissed her regardless."

"Yeah, I know." Lucas agreed quietly as his eyes traveled back towards the kitchen and fell on the brunette that had stole a piece of carrot.

"Lucas?" Nathan looked up from his task and noticed his brother staring at Brooke.

"She's really happy huh?" Lucas mumbled, as he actually took in the happiness that was bouncing off of Brooke.

"More then you know." Nathan sighed as he walked over to his brother. "It took a long time for her to have that smile again."

"How could I have been so dumb back then?" Lucas questioned as he watched her laugh.

"That's what I've been asking myself." Nathan went back to setting the table. "You surprised us all when you left with Peyton."

"I surprised myself." Lucas frowned at the thought. "It just kills me."

"What kills you?" Nathan asked as he looked up at the blonde man.

"If I would have gone with Brooke…" Lucas thought for a moment. "This life she is living, it could have been our life."

"Luke?" Nathan questioned as he noticed Brooke turn her gaze to them and Lucas quickly turning his back to Brooke and placing a spoon on the table.

"What?" Lucas tried to play it off like he hadn't been staring at the beautiful woman.

"How do you plan on making this friendship work?" Nathan asked handing Lucas some plates.

"There is no plan." Lucas shrugged. "We're going to be friends, that's all we can be."

"You can't be just friends with someone your madly in love with Luke." Nathan replied as he took a moment to look at the table.

"What do you suggest I do?" Lucas looked at his brother. "It was your idea for me to be friends with her."

"Yeah, I know." Nathan scratched the back of his head. "I just didn't realize how serious you were about Brooke until now."

"What do you mean?" Lucas was confused.

"Dude, you just hardcore stared at her for a good five minutes!" Nathan laughed. "You looked like a love sick puppy that lost his way."

"I do not!" Lucas laughed nervously, knowing Nathan was right.

"You want to know how I know?" Nate laughed at him.

"Oh, please enlighten me." Lucas chuckled as he placed a plate down on the table.

"I had the same look on my face when Haley left with Chris Keller." Nathan said.

"Whatever." Lucas laughed. "I'll be right back."

Nathan watched as Lucas disappeared out of the dinning room. He shook his head as he placed the last plate on the table. It always amazed him how things worked themselves out. Nate knew that it was going to be extremely hard on Lucas to watch Brooke with another man. It wasn't going to be easy. He knew that from experience. A smile graced his lips as he looked up into the kitchen at Haley who was working away on their dinner. When Haley left on Tour with Chris, it tore Nathan and their marriage apart. But in the end it only made them that much stronger. He liked Julian. They had become pretty close over the last couple of years when Brooke and Julian had moved back to Tree Hill. Even though he preached the right thing to do to Lucas, he knew deep down that Lucas and Brooke belonged together. He would never admit that to Lucas, or Haley for that matter. He knew it was only a matter of time before they found their way back to one another. Just like Haley and himself did after she came back from touring the country. A smile came to his face and he made his way into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around Haley from behind. He whispered he loved her in her ear. She turned around in his arms and kissed him.

XoX

_A man's biggest mistake is giving another man an opportunity to make his woman smile_

"Julian!" Brooke said with enthusiasm as she swung the door open.

"Brooke!" Julian matched her excitement as he pulled her in for a hug.

"I missed you." Brooke smiled as she hugged him tightly.

"I missed you too." He kissed her forehead. "What is Haley cooking, it smells amazing."

"Pot roast with homemade broth." Brooke smelled the aroma that was now filling the entire house.

"Yum." Julian licked his lips, before changing topics. "Where are the monsters?"

"Upstairs playing with Jamie and Lily." Brooke motioned towards the stairs. "Julian?"

"Brooke?"

"Lucaswillbejoiningusfordinnertoo." Brooke said all in one breathe.

"Huh?" Julian looked at her funny. "Slow down."

"Lucas will be joining us for dinner too." Brooke bit her bottom lip, as she waited for his response.

"Lucas?" Julian furrowed his brows. "As in Lucas Scott? The guy who broke your heart and the…"

"Yes." Brooke cut him off. "I just wanted you to know, so you weren't caught by surprise."

"I guess I'm not too surprised." Julian shrugged his shoulders. "He is their family, and I'm sure where ever you happen to be he will show up."

"Julian." Brooke looked up into his eyes.

"Just telling you how I see it." Julian looked into her eyes. "But I'll be civil for you."

"Thank you." Brooke smiled as she leaned up and kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you too." Julian grinned and kissed her back. "Has he met…"

"Yeah, he has." Brooke looked down and buried her face into his chest.

"Does he…"

"Daddy!"

Before Julian could finish his sentence, the sound of Alan and Aria's voice echoed down the stairs as they came running towards him. Brooke pulled away and smiled as the two four year olds ran to Julian and wrapped their tiny arms around each of his legs. He laughed as he bent down and hugged the two children. Brooke giggled at the site and got in on the hug as well.

Lucas watched from the hallway, as the family shared in a big hug. He felt his heart strings tighten at the scene in front of him. A single tear slipped from his eye, as he quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand. In the past forty-eight hours it had seemed like everything and anything was slapping him in the face for making the wrong decision so many years ago. If he would have just gone with Brooke, that could have been him down their on the floor with the twins. The four of them could have been a happy family. Shaking his head, he breathed in deep and walked back into the kitchen where Nathan and Haley were. Watching them be a happy family hurt too much. In time Lucas could only hope that he would be able to get used to seeing Brooke with another man.

XoX

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has been reading. You guys are truly amazing. Please let me know what you think and want to happen in the story. Do you guys want to see more Naley moments? Are there any characters you want to see in the story? Just let me know. Thanks again! I hope you liked the chapter. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: I know it's hard to see that, everything will get better._

_ .darkxx: There is a possibility. I could be, then I may not be. What does your gut tell you? I'm glad that Lucas has gotten back to the protagonist role. _

_MinnTangerine: Yeah, crazy! Who knows!_

_Guest: This is a Brucas story with Brulian as well. This story isn't meant for Lucas haters, the way his character is right now, I need it to be that way so he can grow through out the story. I've been thinking about bringing in someone for Lucas. It's a possibility. Thanks for reading and I hope you can continue to follow to see the outcome. _

_Dbelp03: That won't be for a few more chapters, but it will happen_

_Princesakarlita411: There will be more of Lucas p.o.v through out the story_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 10**

_Everything may be perfect, but perfect doesn't last forever_

Brooke smiled as she looked over at Alan and Aria sitting at the table eating their breakfast. With every passing day it feel as if they were growing faster. She laughed slightly to herself as the two shared in a conversation over who's piece of bacon was bigger. Shaking her head and rolling her eyes with a smile, she turned back to the stove to finish up cooking the last of the bacon. She placed it on a plate, along with eggs and French toast sticks. Setting the plate on the table and pour a glass of orange juice, she looked up at Julian who had just entered the kitchen. He walked over to her a gave her a kiss, before sitting down at the table.

"Morning Beautiful." Julian smiled at Brooke.

"Morning." She smiled back at him. "Coffee?"

"Please." He answered. "Morning Rugrats."

"Morning Daddy!" Alan and Aria spoke in unison.

Brooke grinned as she went over to the coffee pot to pour Julian and herself a cup of coffee. Placing the pot back on its holder, her phone began ringing. Looking at the caller ID, she answered it and placed the phone between her ear and shoulder. Grabbing the two cups of coffee she handed one to Julian and began to drink her own as the person on the other line continued to speak to her. The conversation lasted a few minutes before Brooke ended the call. She looked up at the table and over to Julian who was looking at her with a confused look on his face.

"Who was it?"

"The store." Brooke sighed. "There is a problem with the fabric orders. I need to get there, as of five minutes ago. Do you think you can stay with the kids until I get back?"

"You know I would, but I've got a meeting at the office that I can't miss." Julian stood up clearing his plate and the kids' plates.

"I can't take them with me." Brooke looked over at the twins who were playing with the salt and pepper shakers.

"I don't know babe." Julian shrugged as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Haley!" Brooke shook her head. "She'd watch them."

"You call her, and I'll get them ready to go."

She smiled up at Julian and gave him a kiss on the lips. He then helped the kids out of their chairs and moved them out of the kitchen and into their rooms to get them ready to go. Pulling out her phone, she dialed the number that she knew by heart and listened to it ring. After the second ring, Haley answered.

"Hello?"

"Tutor Mom!"

"Tigger!"

"How are you this morning?"

"I'm doing great." Haley answered. "What about you?"

"It's a good morning for me." Brooke sighed into the phone. "The store is not doing so great."

"What's going on?"

"There is a problem with the fabric order and I need to go fix it." Brooke answered. "I was hoping you could watch the twins for me."

"Aw, Brooke, you know I would." Haley replied. "But I'm just about to head into the studio."

"Is Nathan free?" Brooke bit her bottom lip.

"He's up in Charleston for practice." Haley stated, as she came up with an idea. "You know, Lucas is watching Jamie. I'm sure he'd look after the twins."

"I don't know Hales." Brooke looked up at the clock.

"Brooke, the twins adore Lucas." Haley spoke into the phone. "Lucas adores the twins."

"I can't just impose on him."

"You did hear him correctly, right?" Haley questioned. "He said if you ever needed anything or help with anything to let him know."

"Yeah, that was a couple weeks ago." Brooke rolled her eyes.

"You two are friends Brooke." Haley retorted rolling her eyes.

"I haven't really spoke to him since the dinner." Brooke sighed heavily into the phone.

"Perfect opportunity then." Haley giggled. "Bring the kids here, Luke is here."

"Fine!" Brooke gave in. "I'll see you in twenty."

"See you soon!" Haley smiled.

"Bye!"

Brooke hung up the phone and shook her head. She didn't want to have to ask Lucas, but it was looking like her only option. After the dinner they had shared at Haley's, they hadn't really spoke. Occasionally they would run into each other, and chat for a short while, before one of them left. Even though he hardly spent time with Brooke, he had spent a good amount of time with Alan and Aria. When Haley would watch them, Lucas would be around and play with them. The twins had grown to love him. If only things were that easy for Lucas and Brooke. The idea of them being friends was easy, but actually following through with it was becoming more difficult each time they saw each other. Brooke wasn't sure why she was so nervous about being friends with Lucas, but she figured she'd have to get over it sooner or later. She finished up the last of her coffee and made her way towards the front door. Slipping her shoes on and grabbing her purse, she waited for the trio to make their entrance. A small smile formed as she saw the twins running down the stairs with their little backpacks on.

"You ready to go?" Brooke asked kneeling down to the twin's height.

"Yes Mommy!" They answered together. "We play with Jamie!"

"Yes, you get to play with Jamie." Brooke spoke as she zipped up their jackets.

"Will Lily be there?" Aria asked looking at Brooke.

"No, not this time hunny." Brooke stood back up.

"Aunt Haley will play Barbies with me then?" Aria asked looking up at her mom.

"Aunt Haley won't be watching you guys." Brooke ran a hand through her hair.

"Who's watching them, Brooke?" Julian asked getting into the conversation.

"Lucas." Brooke answered, avoiding eye contact with Julian.

"LUCAS!" The twins yelled and jumped up and down. "He's so cool!"

"Alan, Aria, go put your shoes on." Julian told the kids, still looking at Brooke.

Doing as they were told, they ran over to the door, where their shoes were and began putting them on. Brooke watched the kids, as she felt his eyes on her. She didn't want to have this conversation right now. She needed to leave and get to the store and fix the problem. Giving into his gaze, she finally turned and looked at him. Her eyes met his brown ones.

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

"Haley couldn't watch them." Brooke defended. "Nathan is out of town."

"You couldn't ask anyone else?" Julian questioned.

"I don't have time to call around Julian." Brooke crossed her arms over her chest.

"I'm just looking out for the twins."

"They'll be fine." Brooke looked over at them. "They like him."

"Yes, I know they like him." Julian sighed. "You know what I mean Brooke."

"I know…"

"It's only a matter of time."

"I know…"

"Brooke?" Julian took her hands into his.

"What?" She asked looking up into his eyes.

"I'm here for you." Julian squeezed her hands.

"I know…"

With that said, Alan and Aria came running to Brooke's side. Pulling on her pant leg to indicate that they were all ready to go. She looked down and smiled at them. They each gave Julian a hug, and Brooke gave him a kiss. They walked outside, and headed towards Brooke's car. She got the kids situated in their seats before getting into the driver seat. She adjusted the rear view mirror and looked at her babies sitting in the back. A sigh escaped her lips as she started up the car. The second she pulled out of the driveway the two started singing the wheels on the bus.

XoX

_Never underestimate little kids who know how to get what they want._

Lucas laid in the guest bedroom fast asleep. He was sleeping on his stomach, with his head facing the outside of the bed. His arm hung off the bed, just barely touching the floor. A little blonde head and brunette head peaked over the bed. Their little eyes staring at the sleeping adult. Raising their eyebrows and looking at one another then back to a sleeping Lucas. The two kids started giggling as they covered their mouths with their little hands. Once they regained composure they removed their hands. They stepped closer, until they were right in Lucas' face.

"Do you think he's dead?" Aria asked as they stared at him

"Maybe?" Alan continued starring.

"Poke him like in the movies." Aria nudged her brother.

"Head." Aria bit her nails as Alan took his hand and poked Lucas in the forehead.

"Eyes." Aria followed, poking Lucas' eye as he groaned in his sleep.

"Nose." Alan continued as he poked Lucas' nose.

"Cheek."

"Chin."

"Mouth." They said together as they took their little hands and together, pried open Lucas' mouth.

"What the fuck?!" Lucas shot up in the bed and looked around the room.

Alan and Aria's eyes grew extremely wide as they looked at Lucas sitting in the bed. Lucas rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and quickly felt two sets of eyes on him. He looked over to his side and saw the twins standing there looking at him with wide eyes. Realization finally set in on the three of them. Lucas silently cursed himself, as he knew that Brooke was going to kick his ass. That's when it hit him. The twins were in front of him.

"Ooo, you said fuck." The twins spoke together.

"Let's not tell your mom about this." Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Aria and Alan sang together.

"Your mom is going to kill me." Lucas sighed as he got out of the bed.

"You said a bad word." Aria pointed her finger at Lucas.

"You are going to be in big trouble." Alan said in a matter of fact tone.

"You guys wouldn't tell one me would you?" Lucas pouted sticking his bottom lip out.

"Well…" Aria raised her eyebrow looking over at his wallet and held out her hand.

"You can't be serious?" Lucas looked at them with their hands out waiting.

"Fu…" The twins began before Lucas stopped them again.

"Here." Lucas grabbed his wallet off of the side table and looked inside of it. Only seeing two five dollar bills. "Not a word."

"Nice doing business with you." Alan smirked as the twins ran out of the bedroom.

"Did I really just get played by four year olds?" Lucas asked himself.

Yawning, he quickly changed his clothes before exiting the bedroom. He walked downstairs to see Alan and Aria pulling toys out of their backpacks. His eyes scanned the area as his ears listened. The house was empty. He scratched his head as he made his way to the kitchen. No sign of Haley or Brooke. Making his way to the fridge, he saw a note from Haley. _"Luke, a work emergency came up for Brooke. You're watching the twins as well as Jamie. Thanks! H & B." _Shaking his head as a yawn left him, he walked back into the living room. Alan was playing with some action figures, while Aria played with her Barbie doll. His blue eyes fell to the staircase where Jamie was walking down rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Just waking up jimmy jam?"

"Uh-huh."

"Hi Jamie!" Alan and Aria smiled at their friend.

"Hi." Jaime smiled as he sat down next to Alan and grabbed a toy.

"Are you guys hungry?" Lucas asked.

"No, we ate already." Aria smiled up at Lucas.

"I am Uncle Lucas." Jamie answered. "Can I have cereal?"

"Sure, come on." Lucas motioned for Jamie to follow him to the kitchen.

XoX

_It's so hard to pretend not to love a person when you really do.._

A few hours had passed and Brooke had finally made it back to Haley's house. She was going to knock on the door, but noticed it was open a jar. Furrowing her eyebrows slightly, she walked right on in. She looked around, but heard nothing. Walking into the living, she had to stop herself from laughing and she covered her mouth with her hand. The living room was a total disaster. Their were toys everywhere. Movies on the floor, couch cushions tossed all around, pots and pans sprawled out and a chair in the middle. On the chair was Lucas. Brooke couldn't help herself. She pulled out her cell phone and snapped a picture of him. Lucas was tied to the chair in rope and duct tape. He was wearing Haley's purple high heels, with black basketball shorts. He wore a white tank top, with Haley's bright blue bra on the outside of the tank top. He had one clip on hoop earring on. He had red lipstick on, along with one eye having blue eye shadow and the other with pink. A ton of blush made his cheeks look like clown cheeks. There was also eye liner connecting Lucas' eyebrows, to form an unibrow. He then wore a clip on bow on the top of his head. Lastly he had a green cape tied around his neck.

Just staring at Lucas, she couldn't muffle her laughter anymore, as she let it out. The echoing of her laugh caused Lucas to look up from his seat position. Seeing Brooke standing there holding her phone up he turned a deep shade of red. He was never going to be able to live this one down now. He couldn't even pretend that this didn't happen now. He gave her a smile as he looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Hey Brooke." Lucas laughed nervously."What happened?" Brooke laughed motioning to the room.

"Aliens?" Lucas questioned trying to shrug his shoulders.

"Doubtful."

"Zombies?"

"You survived?"

"Barely." "Where are the alien zombies?" Brooke asked as she giggled.

"Good question." Lucas looked around the room. "Could you help me out here?"

"Oh yeah." Brooke shook her head, and made her way to Lucas. "When did you get into cross-dressing?"

"Funny Brooke." Lucas rolled his eyes with a laugh.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself." Brooke smirked as she untied the rope. "Care to share how you ended up like this.

"Root beer floats and banana splits." Lucas answered as she cut the duct tape off of his hands. "That feels better."

"You filled them up on sugar?" Brooke raised an eyebrow. "What were you thinking?"

"Obviously I wasn't." Lucas rubbed his wrists. "I thought if I got them a sugar high, they'd crash and go to sleep. I didn't even think about the sugar rush they'd have first."

"Let's go find the monsters." Brooke shook her head with a smile.

The duo searched the entire bottom half of the house and couldn't find the three amigos anywhere. They then headed up the stairs to check the top half of the house. They came to Jamie's room first. The door was cracked open slightly. Brooke and Lucas shared a glance before Brooke opened the semi closed door. Pushing the door open the site in front of them warmed their hearts. Aria was sprawled out on Jamie's bed fast asleep, holding onto a roll of duct tape. Jamie was asleep, half under the bed with what looked to be black paint under his eyes. Alan laid in the closet with pillows surrounding him. A smile swept across Brooke's face as she stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her leaving a crack. She then turned and looked at Lucas who was still in his ridiculous outfit that the kids had put him in.

"Looks like your plan worked." Brooke shrugged putting up her hands.

"I guess so." Lucas laughed. "Though Haley is going to kill me."

"Why don't you go get yourself cleaned up." Brooke spoke heading towards the stairs. "Then we'll get this place cleaned up in no time."

"You'd do that for me?" Lucas questioned, his eyes locking with Brooke's eyes.

"Yeah…" Brooke smiled at him. "What are friends for?"

With a wink, she turned and headed down the stairs. Lucas laughed to himself as he watched her descend down the staircase. He licked his lips as he looked down at he was wearing. The fact that the three four year olds managed to get him like this surprised him. Shaking his head he made his way to the guest room and quickly got changed. After a short while, he made his way into the living room where Brooke was already hard at work straightening things up. Lucas bent down and grabbed a couple pillows and placed them back on the couch as Brooke placed a folded blanket on the couch.

"Thanks." Lucas looked at her with a smile.

"For what?" Brooke asked as she folded another blanket.

"For helping me get this place cleaned up." Lucas laughed. "And for not killing me."

"You didn't really have time to prepare yourself." Brooke smirked. "So I kind of owe you one."

"Well, I won't be offended if you don't ask me to watch the twins again." Lucas scratched the back of his neck as he continued to clean.

"Lucas, they are four years old." Brooke replied, fixing a couple picture frames. "You just need practice."

"How do you do it?" Lucas eyed the brunette. "You must be super mom or something."

"That is true." Brooke grinned. "But Julian helps me out a lot."

"He sounds like a good guy." Lucas turned his gaze away from her, and quickly started cleaning up the popcorn on the floor.

"He is…" Brooke answered feeling a hint of awkwardness. "Like I said Luke, it just takes practice."

"So, you'd let me watch them again?" Lucas raised an eyebrow.

"Of course. They love you too much to keep them from you." Brooke walked over to where Lucas was standing. "As long as you have parental supervision. I wouldn't want to come back to find you tortured again."

"It only happened once." Lucas defended himself.

"Yeah, and you only watched them once." Brooke laughed. "Looks like you're zero and one."

"They may have won the battle, but the war has just begun." Lucas spoke laughing.

"Don't under estimate my twins." Brooke smirked. "After all, they do take after me."

"Yeah, but as I recall." Lucas took a step towards Brooke. "You learned from the best."

"If that's what you want to believe." Brooke eyed Lucas with her signature sly smirk.

"Oh really?"

The two stared at one another, smirks on their faces. Brooke nodded her head in response to Lucas' previous statement. Lucas shook his head as they held eye contact for a long moment. Before either one of them knew it, Lucas had his hands on Brooke's sides. Giggling erupted from the petite brunette as the blonde began tickling her sides. She was able to get away, and run from him. It was a good thing they managed to get the room picked up, or she wouldn't have been able to run from him. Unable to out run him, Lucas caught her. Brooke lost her balance and stumbled backwards as Lucas came falling with her. She was now pinned under him. He continued to torture her by tickling her. Feeling the need for air, and not being able to breathe she caved in. Lucas stopped tickling her as they both began laughing while laying on the floor. Their eyes met and locked onto one another. The laughter slowly subsided, but their eyes never lost contact. Brooke licked her lips and Lucas swallowed the lump that formed in the back of his throat. Both sets of lips were mere inches apart. They could feel each others' breaths on their faces. The inches of space slowly turning into centimeters. Their noses grazed just barely. Their eyes closed momentarily.

"Should I even ask?"

**Thank you again to everyone who reviewed, favorite, followed and alerted this story and me as an author. You guys are seriously amazing and I love being able to write for you all. So, let me know what you are thinking. Who do you think interrupted the Brucas almost kiss? Who do you want it to be? Let me know. Until next time!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: Only time will tell what happens. _

_ .darkxx: She'll be back soon_

_Guest: I'm glad you love this story. Thank you_

_Princesakarlita411: Yeah, the kids are pretty crazy and more funny things to come_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: You have a valid point on that. We'll see how the story pans out_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 11**

_Strong, meaningful bonds can be made in every moment, even if you don't realize it's happening_

"Should I even ask?"

Lucas and Brooke quickly turned their heads at the sound of the voice. They looked up at the woman, and both their cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. Lucas quickly pulled himself up off of Brooke. He then held out his hand to her, as she looked up at him. A small embarrassed smile came across her face as she accepted his hand. As he pulled her up from the floor, she lost balance a little and fell into Lucas' arms. Their eyes met, but quickly lost contact at the clearing of the woman's voice. Brooke's face turned a deeper shade of red as she stepped a couple feet away from Lucas. He scratched the back of his neck, showing his nervousness.

"Hey mom." Lucas spoke looking down at the floor.

"Karen!" Brooke quickly turned and walked over to her giving her a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way to the café." Karen smiled looking over at Lucas. "Thought I'd come check in on my boy."

"Mom, I'm a grown man." Lucas rolled his eyes. "I can handle the kids."

"Can you?" Brooke mumbled under her breath with a laugh.

"Brooke!" Lucas looked at her, not being able to stop his smile from forming.

"Right, where are the kids?" Karen asked looking around.

"Asleep upstairs." Brooke answered taking a seat on the sofa. "Where is Lily?"

"She's spending the day with Andy." Karen said as she looked at Brooke. "How's Julian?"

"Oh, he's great." Brooke beamed happily. "He may be producing a movie here in the next month or so."

"If you'll excuse me…" Lucas rolled his eyes as he walked out of the main room.

"Oh Brooke, that's amazing." Karen smiled at her, not realizing Lucas had left the room.

"Yeah, I know." Brooke giggled. "He's really excited about it."

"It's about time he started producing another movie." Karen sat down next to Brooke. "How are my favorite twins?"

"Why don't you ask Lucas." Brooke laughed as she thought about the scene she has walked in on.

"What happened?"

Lucas watched as Brooke started to explain to his mom what she had walked in on. He shook his head as a smile began to take over his features. It warmed his heart at how Brooke and Karen's relationship had grown. He remembered when his mother was against him and Brooke dating. Now Karen couldn't get enough of Brooke. Miss Davis was like the daughter Karen never had until Lily was born. It was clear that their relationship had clearly grown over the years he was gone. Lucas was focused on being friends with Brooke, but it was still hard for him to hear about Julian. All he heard was Julian this, Julian that, Julian is so amazing. All of it made him sick to his stomach, so he'd avoid any Julian conversations that he could. He watched as the two women shared a laugh about something. He felt a light tug on his jeans and looked down to find Aria standing their looking up at him with her big hazel eyes.

"Did you have a good nap sweetie?" Lucas asked kneeling to her height.

"Uh huh." Aria smiled, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Are the boys still sleeping?" Lucas looked around for the boys.

"Yes, they are sleeping." Aria patted her stomach "I'm hungry."

"What do you want?" Lucas questioned, picking up the four year old in his arms.

"Sandwich." Aria stated wrapping her little arms around Lucas' neck.

"I think we can manage that." Lucas grinned. "What kind of sandwich?"

"Um…" Aria looked up at the ceiling thinking of her answer.

"How about peanut butter?" Lucas asked as they entered the kitchen and he set her on the bar stool.

"With bananas!" Aria's eyes lit up.

"I think I can manage that one." Lucas spoke as he pulled out the items he needed.

He cut up a whole banana and put some slices on a plate for her. He then made the peanut butter sandwich, since she had refused to have jelly on it. Placing the sandwich on the plate, he then put the plate in front of her. He went back over to the ingredients, and began to make himself a peanut butter sandwich. He took the rest of the sliced banana pieces and placed them on his sandwich. Closing the bread, he brought the completed sandwich to his mouth. Before he could take a bite, he noticed Aria putting the banana pieces on the inside of her sandwich. He looked at his sandwich then looked back at the little girl. He watched her closely as she put the top piece of bread back onto her sandwich. She then lifted it to her mouth and took a bite, smiling as she chewed. Aria placed the sandwich back down on the plate and looked up at Lucas, who was staring at her.

"Can I have milk please?" Aria asked, her eyes staring into Lucas'.

"Of course." Lucas shook his head as he grabbed a small plastic cup. "You like the banana's on your peanut butter sandwich?"

"I do!" Aria looked at her sandwich, before picking it up and taking another bite. "It's my favorite sandwich!"

"Really?" Lucas was stunned. "Mine too."

"I'm the only one who eats it." Aria shrugged her shoulders as she took another bite.

"You're the only one I know who likes this too." Lucas smiled at her, and placed the milk next to her plate.

Aria giggled again, then took the cup of milk and took a big drink. Lucas went back to his sandwich and began to eat, as he watched Aria continue to eat her sandwich. Seeing the young girl eating a peanut butter banana sandwich had shocked him. He'd eat them all the time, and everyone would tell him that they were disgusting. It seemed like he was the only person to like the strange combination. Taking another bite, his eyes diverted to the entry way of the kitchen to find Karen standing there watching the two. He smiled at her, and she returned the smile.

"What are you two eating?" Karen asked walking further into the kitchen.

"Grandma Karen!" Aria smiled up at her, and held her sandwich out towards her. "Lucas made our favorite!"

"What's that?" Karen questioned looking at the little brunette.

"Peanut butter banana!" Aria answered biting into her sandwich.

"Seriously?" Karen scrunched up her nose and looked at Lucas. "You still eat that?"

"You want a bite?" Lucas laughed putting the half eaten sandwich in Karen's face.

"No thanks." Karen shook her head. "Odd that this little one like those sandwiches."

"I thought so too." Lucas took a drink of the milk he poured himself. "Even when I was a kid, everyone thought it was sick to eat this."

"It still is sick." Karen stuck up her nose.

"Anyways, where is Brooke?" Lucas asked noticing the other brunette was no where to be seen.

"Mommy is here?" Aria asked, excitement clear in her voice.

"Yes, Mommy is here." Karen patted the girl on her head. "She's checking on your brother and cousin."

"Yay!" Aria smiled as she went back to her sandwich.

"I'm going to get going." Karen patted Lucas on the shoulder. "I'll see you later."

"Bye Grandma!" Aria spoke with a mouth full of food.

"Bye Sweetheart." Karen kissed her on the forehead. "Bye Lucas."

XoX

_Sometimes even though you're having a good time you can't help but to stop and think about how much you miss the old times_

"Get your shoes on kids." Lucas shouted from the front door, as all three kids came running towards the door. "We're going to the park."

"Yay!" All three of the kids yelled in unison.

"They sure are excited." Brooke smiled as the kids hurriedly put their shoes on.

It had been an hour since Karen had left, and Lucas thought it would be a good idea to take the kids to the park. Let them run around, so they'd be tired out later. Brooke thought it was a good idea, and they got the kids ready. Once they made it to the park, the kids got out of the car and dashed over to the large big toy and began climbing all over it. Brooke laughed at their excitement as she looked over at Lucas who had a smile on his face. He looked over at her for a short moment and held her eye contact. Lucas looked away as he noticed an empty bench. He walked over to it and took a seat, with Brooke following behind him. They sat their in silence for a long while, just watching the kids playing and having a good time. Lucas looked over at Brooke who was still watching the kids. A sigh escaped his lips.

"You know Luke, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship." Brooke half smiled up at him.

"I think so too." Lucas smiled back at her.

"What's going through your mind?" Brooke questioned, seeing the puzzled look on his face.

"It's nothing." Lucas waved it off as he watched the kids play.

"Luke, we're friends right?" Brooke placed a hand on his knew.

"Yeah, I guess so." Lucas looked down at her hand.

"Then you can talk to me." Brooke reassured him.

"I don't think it's very appropriate." Lucas looked up into her eyes.

"What's it about?" Brooke kinked her eyebrow.

"Us."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Try me." Brooke gave him a sincere smile. "I may surprise you."

Lucas stared at Brooke for a few minutes, unsure if he should tell her what was bugging him. They were just starting to be friends again and he didn't want to ruin that. There was a time and place for this conversation and right now wasn't the time or place. But the thoughts of what if were running through his head and he couldn't stop thinking about her. Them. What could have been. He turned his gaze from Brooke and looked out at the three kids playing together and laughing. Talking and miscommunication was a problem for them in the past, and he didn't want that to start again. He placed his hand on top of her hand and looked over at her. She sat there, starring at him with the sweetest smile he'd ever seen.

"Brooke…"

"Lucas…"

"If you could go back and change just one thing about your life, would you?" Lucas questioned, his hand gently holding her hand. "Just one moment, one moment that you've always wanted back?""I've thought about it." Brooke shrugged her shoulders and moved her hand from his grasp. "But if I did, I wouldn't have all of these amazing things I have now."

"I think about it all of the time." Lucas confessed quietly. "I try not to, but I can't help it."

"Luke, it's ok to think about what could have been." Brooke answered softly. "You just have to accept that those things won't happen."

"What have you thought about?" Lucas asked her.

"I'm sure the same thoughts you had." Brooke answered honestly. "What if you had chosen me? What if I hadn't broken up with you? What if I had put my feelings before Peyton's feelings?"

"Brooke…" Lucas spoke, but was cut off.

"I admit, I really miss how things used to be." Brooke smiled as she looked out at her twins and godson running around. "But I can also admit, that I've accepted the fact that things have changed. You should too Lucas."

The strong silence overtook the two as they sat there. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a silence of acceptance. Accepting the fact that things had changed, and they weren't young teenagers anymore. That things can not go back to the way they used to be. Lucas turned his attention to the children as he felt a bit better about things. It wasn't the closure he was looking for, but it was a start. He looked back over at Brooke who was watching the kids with a smile on her face. This woman had the biggest heart, and no matter how many times he hurt her and how badly he hurt her, she still found it in her heart to forgive him and give him chance after chance. How he ever let her go was a mystery.

**Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter, but I felt it ended just right. This chapter is more of a filler with a slight break through for Brucas. I've also noticed that some of you have been wanting Lucas to meet a new girl and some of you want Lucas to be single. I've made a poll on my profile, so go vote and let me know what you want. Or leave a review letting me no what you want. I'm torn on whether to bring a new girl in the mix for Lucas. What do you guys think and want? Let me know! Thanks for being awesome readers!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making a preview video for this story! The link will also be on my profile page. Here's the link.. Check it out! /mAqw_3rnDC4**

_Thank you to… _

_Nikki: Thanks for your opinion, and it makes perfect sense! It would defeat the purpose of the reason he came back_

_Cc77: You make a valid point about Lucas being wishy washy and that the friendship would be gone. Thanks for your input!_

_dianehermans: Glad you loved the Aria/Lucas moment. Also with Karen in it. Thanks for your input!_

_Bkalways and forever: Thanks for your opinion! I totally agree with it. There will be more little "clues" along the way. _

_ .darkxx: The drama is coming. Don't mean to drag it on, just needed to get the relationships set. You get a start to some drama in this chapter._

_Happy45: Thanks! Hope you like this chapter_

_Bjq: Thank you! Hope this is just as fabulous _

_Guest: You are absolutely right. Karen being the grandma will be explained in this chapter. As of right now, Karen is like a mom to Brooke, hence she is playing the role of grandma to the twins. If Karen knew, she'd tell Lucas, no doubt about it. Brooke will not get away with it_

_Princesakarlita411: Glad you liked the Brucas moments. More to come!_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: There will be more of Lucas figuring that out and him seeing Brooke with Julian. Thanks for reading and your opinion!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 12**

_Jealousy is just a sign that shows how much you really like, care, or love someone._

Julian stood across the street from the park frozen. He stared at the two of them sitting together, too close for his liking. His eyes watched as she placed her hand on his knee and then he placed his hand on her hand. Julian swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of his throat as he started to feel sick to his stomach. He trusted Brooke with his entire being, but he didn't trust Lucas at all. Julian had seen the look on Lucas' face more then once. It was obvious that the blonde was still in love with Brooke. In his mind, who couldn't be in love with the gorgeous bombshell brunette. Julian Baker was your all round nice guy. He went out of his way to help anyone and everyone. He put everyone else before himself. You could say he was the male Brooke Davis, and that's why they worked so well together. He clenched his fists together as he watched them start laughing about something. He was never a jealous person, but there was a first for everything, especially when it came to his feelings for Brooke.

"Well, well well… if it isn't Baker Boy."

"Do my ears deceive me." Julian raised his eyebrows. "Is that Gatina Girl I hear?"

"You bet your ass it's me!" Rachel smirked as Julian turned around to face her.

"It's been a long time." Julian laughed as he pulled her in for a hug. "How's New York treating you?"

"It's only been a year and a half." Rachel rolled her eyes. "New York just isn't the same without my Bitch around."

"I still will never understand why you two must verbally insult one another." Julian shook his head.

"One of the many mysteries of the Brachel friendship." Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "Where is that Skank anyway?"

Julian then suddenly remembered what he had been doing. He turned and looked back over at the park where Brooke and Lucas were still sitting on the bench watching the kids play. Rachel followed his gaze and looked over in the direction of the park. A smile formed on her face as she noticed the brunette. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked back at Julian and then back towards Brooke. She couldn't tell who Brooke was sitting next to, as his back was to her. She gasped loudly, as the blonde haired man turned slightly, and his face was revealed to Rachel.

"No fucking way!" Rachel was stunned to say the least. "Does he know?"

"As of this morning, no." Julian turned to Rachel. "You need to talk to her."

"You bet your ass I do!" Rachel said as she stormed across the street.

"Rach, I didn't mean right now!" Julian quickly followed after her.

The fiery red head made her way across the street and towards the bench that Lucas and Brooke were sitting on. As she made her way closer, she couldn't help the anger that was developing inside of her. Brooke was her best friend, but that didn't mean she agreed with what Brooke had done and was still doing. She supported Brooke in her decisions, but that didn't mean she agreed with all of them. This decision was one of the many that Rachel disagreed with. Right as she got a couple feet away from the bench, she was caught off guard by her name being yelled. She diverted her eyes towards the sound, and immediately felt her anger disperse. She crouched down and opened her arms wide, as her two favorite godchildren came running into them. She wrapped her arms around them tightly and hugged them. She had missed the two troublemakers, that she had openly let into her heart. Her eyes met Brooke's hazel orbs and they locked eye contact. A smile forming on both girls' faces.

"Rachel!?" Brooke stood up from the bench and looked over to who her children had run to.

"Brooke!?" Rachel smiled at her friend then pulled away from the twins. "How are my favorite pair of twins doing?"

"Good!" They spoke in unison. "We missed you Aunt Rachel!"

"I miss you two too." Rachel smiled ruffling their hair. "So tell me, how much trouble have you caused?"

"Not now." Alan spoke putting his index finger to his lips.

"Not hear." Aria copied the action.

"We'll talk later then." Rachel laughed and motioned them to go back and play with Jamie who had been running around with some other kids.

Aria and Alan hugged Rachel one more time before running off to play again. Rachel stood and straightened herself back up. Her eyes went from Brooke, to the blonde man sitting on the bench still. She raised her eyebrow at him, and then looked back at Brooke. The brunette looked over at Lucas and then back at Rachel. Then her eyes traveled to the brunette haired man walking up behind Rachel. Lucas just sat there, staring at the three of them, staring at each other and occasionally him. He looked at Rachel and Julian standing side by side, and he rose his hand and waved at them slightly and gave them an awkward smile.

"Hi Rachel." Lucas greeted her. "Julian."

"Lucas." Julian didn't even look at him.

"Hey Whore!" Rachel grinned at Brooke.

"Hey Slut!" Brooke walked over to Rachel and hugged her.

"I'm going to steal Brooke for a minute." Rachel told the boys before dragging Brooke to the other side of the park.

XoX

_It has been said that time heals all wounds, I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue, and the pain lessens, but is never gone_

Rachel pulled Brooke onto the bench that was on the other side of the park. She looked back over at the two men, Julian standing and Lucas sitting awkwardly. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to Brooke. The brunette stared at Rachel, waiting for her to talk and explain why she was being so strange. She watched as the redhead looked back over at the guys and then back at her. Brooke looked over at the guys, and could only imagine what they were talking about. If they were even talking. A soft smile appeared on Brooke's face before she looked over at Rachel.

"What is so important that you needed to drag me all the way over here to talk?" Brooke asked looking at her friend.

"As if you don't know." Rachel raised an eyebrow to her.

"Please, enlighten me." Brooke laughed with amusement.

"Does he know?" Rachel asked bluntly.

"Ugh, Rach!" Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Don't ugh, Rach me!" Rachel pointed her finger at Brooke. "You knew this day would come. Hell, I told you it would happen sooner or later."

"I'll tell him when I'm ready." Brooke sighed looking over at Lucas and Julian.

"Brooke, the longer you wait, the harder it's going to be." Rachel tried to reason with her. "He deserves to know!"

"Since when did you become Team Lucas?" Brooke scoffed crossing her arms over her chest.

"You of all people should know I'm Team Brooke no matter what!" Rachel answered. "But, I also don't think you are doing the right thing in keeping this secret."

"I have my reasons." Brooke stated, turning her head away from the redhead.

"Brooke…"

"Rachel…"

"You need to think about the kids." Rachel placed a hand on Brooke's shoulder. "They need to come first and foremost."

"Don't tell me how to raise MY kids!" Brooke turned and stared at Rachel with anger in her eyes.

"I'm not telling you how to raise them." Rachel sighed. "I'm just looking out for them."

Brooke turned her attention to Alan and Aria who were climbing up the toy. She began to chew on her bottom lip. Deep down, she knew this would happen. She just didn't think it would have been so soon. In her heart, she knew Rachel was right, but she couldn't get over her own feelings. He had hurt her so bad, and that's all she seemed to remember. The hurt and pain he caused her. She couldn't allow him to have the power to hurt her children, like he had done her. For all she knew, he'd leave again. He always left. A tear slipped down her face as she saw Alan run around the big toy. She knew she'd have to say something, but she couldn't bring herself to do it right now. Not when then pain was still evidently still there. Rachel placed her arm around Brooke to give her a reassuring hug. Brooke placed her hand on Rachel's arm as she looked down at the ground.

"He's just going to leave again."

"If he leaves again, then that's his loss." Rachel rubbed Brooke's arm. "Tell him and let him make that decision."

"I can't put them through that." Brooke shook her head. "They are too young."

"If things don't work out, they always have Julian." Rachel smiled softly. "You know, that tall, handsome brunette over there that is completely in love with you."

"He put you up to this didn't he?" Brooke turned and looked at her friend.

"Nobody puts Rachel Gatina up to anything." Rachel winked at Brooke.

"Right." Brooke laughed softly. "I'll tell him."

"You know, I support you no matter what." Rachel hugged her. "But I'm still going to be on your fat ass until you do the right thing."

"Yeah yeah." Brooke smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Now, give me details!" Rachel grinned. "I want to know everything I missed out on."

XoX

_Jealousy is a sentiment which is born in love and which is produced by the fear that the loved person prefers someone else_

Lucas sat there on the bench awkwardly. This was the first time he had been alone with Julian. He didn't know what to say to him. He didn't even know the guy, but he knew he didn't like him. He envied him. Julian had everything that Lucas wanted. Julian had Brooke and two beautiful kids with her. Lucas was jealous of Julian and he hated to admit that. Though he'd never admit it out loud to anyone. He scratched the back of his neck, not knowing if he should say anything to him. What would he say? What would they talk about? Lucas was pretty sure they had nothing in common, other than Brooke Davis. She was the last thing he would talk to Julian about. Or, at least that's what he thought until Julian made the first move and spoke up.

"So, are you back for good?" Julian asked staring out at the kids playing.

"Yeah, I am." Lucas answered, not bothering to look at Julian.

"Maybe we should set some ground rules." Julian stated, as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Excuse me?" Lucas laughed at him. "Brooke said you were funny, but I didn't think she meant you were a comedian."

"Brooke and I are together and happy." Julian stated looking over at Lucas. "We plan on staying that way, and you will not interfere and ruin that."

"Man, I'm just trying to be her friend." Lucas said, even if it was a lie.

"Who do you take me for Lucas?" Julian questioned. "I wasn't born yesterday. I know your past history with Brooke. I know how badly you hurt her. I was there to pick up the pieces, and I'll be damned if you think that you can come back home and have everything go back to the way you want things."

"I think you've lost it." Lucas looked up at Julian, a smile on his face.

"You're still in love with her." Julian folded his arms in front of his chest. "It's written all over your face."

"So what if I am?" Lucas asked looking him up and down. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to give Brooke everything you didn't." Julian gave him a smug smile.

"Whatever." Lucas rolled his eyes and turned his back to Julian. "Brooke fell in love with me before, she'll fall in love with me again."

Lucas sat there, letting his own words sink into his head. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew that Julian was right. It just made him realize, that he'd need to fight a lot harder for her. It was easier back in high school, when Brooke reciprocated his feelings for her. Now, he had to win her back and start from nothing but their past history. A history that was mostly written with pain, hurt, heartbreak and sorrow. They had many happy moments, but they couldn't out weigh the saddening moments. He needed to show her that he wasn't the same guy he was back in high school. He wasn't the guy who was torn between to lovers. Lucas needed to prove to Brooke that he could be that guy for her. That's when he noticed little Aria chase after Jamie on the toy. For the smallest moment he had forgotten that there were kids involved. He couldn't break up a family, he just couldn't. But how could he not even try to win back the love of his life. Lucas was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Julian start talking again.

"Lucas, you know that girl that always forgave you?" Julian spoke getting Lucas' attention. "That always loved you? That always took you back? Well she gave up on you and found someone better. Brooke found me, and she's happy. Do you really plan on ruining her happiness for your own?"

"If she's so happy with you, then why do you continue to tell me?" Lucas questioned. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

"I…" Julian was thrown off by what Lucas had just said.

"So, maybe she's not happy?" Lucas shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I do stand a chance."

"Stop!" Julian clenched his fists. "Lucas, you had your chance and you blew it. Stand aside and watch a real man do it."

Before Lucas could respond, Brooke and Rachel had made their way back to them. Lucas watched as Brooke walked over to Julian and hugged him. He felt sick to his stomach as he watched Julian pull back and kiss Brooke right in front of him. Lucas rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Rachel who stood their smiling at the two of them. He wondered if Rachel even remembered that night they had the fantasy boy draft date. Shaking his head, he stood up from the bench and coughed, clearing his throat to get Brooke's attention.

"Brooke, I'm going to get going." Lucas pointed towards the car.

"Oh, ok." Brooke frowned, holding on to Julian. "Do you have to?"

"Yeah, I've got something to do." Lucas gave her a small smile. "I can take Jamie back with me."

"Ok." Brooke pulled away from Julian. "I'll see you later?"

"Sure." Lucas nodded his head.

"Thanks again for watching the twins." Brooke walked over to Lucas and hugged him.

"Anytime." Lucas stated and hugged her back.

Brooke and Lucas hugged each other, for what seemed like forever. Rachel and Julian quickly took notice of it. Rachel noticed the look in Julian's eyes. He was jealous and it was perfectly clear. Clear to everyone but Brooke. Rachel looked over at Lucas who wasn't even paying any attention to Julian. Finally the two of them pulled apart and Lucas headed towards the toy. He said his goodbyes to the twins and then placed Jamie on his shoulders and headed towards the car.

XoX

_Why am I afraid to lose you when you're not even mine?_

Later that day, Lucas sat on the couch staring blankly at the television. His mind was all over the place. He couldn't stop thinking about Brooke. Everything and anything was making him think of her. Karen had made spaghetti for dinner, and all he could think of was that it was Brooke's favorite. The entire house made him think of Brooke, since she had pretty much lived there with them. His thoughts were interrupted when Lily ran into the room and climbed up onto the couch. She smiled up at him and held a book of some sort to her tiny chest. He raised an eyebrow to her and she looked down at the book she clung to. Pulling it away from her chest, she reveled it to be a photo album.

"Luke, can I ask you something?" Lily looked up at him.

"Of course you can. Lucas smiled down at her. "What is it?"

"Do people look like other people that don't share the same family?" Lily questioned blinking her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Lucas looked at her oddly. "Can people who are not related to one another look alike?"

"Yes." Lily nodded her head. "Can they?"

"Well, sure." Lucas shrugged. "People can look like other people."

"So, that doesn't mean they are related?" Lily questioned looking at the album in her hands.

"Why are you asking me this?" Lucas laughed patting her on the head.

Lily shrugged her shoulders and opened the album. Lucas watched as she turned the pages, looking for something in particular. She had gone through a couple pages before she stopped on a page. Her little index finger pointed to a picture. Lucas took the book and looked at it closer. It was a picture of Lucas and Haley when they were about four or five years old. They were playing with light sabers and had blankets tied around them like capes. He laughed at the picture and then furrowed his eyebrows. His eyes fell onto him in the picture. Short, little, blonde haired, blue eyed boy. Lucas took the picture out of the plastic and held it closer to his face to get a better look at it.

"Ok, you see it too!" Lily sighed with relief. "I thought I was crazy!"

"What do you see Lily?" Lucas asked, staring at the picture.

"I thought that was Alan." Lily spoke looking at the other photos. "Mom said it was you."

"Where is mom?" Lucas wondered out loud.

"In the kitchen." Lily shook her head. "Where else would she be?"

"Yeah, she's always in the kitchen." Lucas laughed as he stood up from the couch.

He made his way into the kitchen, still staring at the picture. Then he remembered back to earlier today when Aria had called Karen, grandma. Shaking his head he looked up and saw his mom washing the dishes. Even though they had a dishwasher, she still believed in washing them by hand. It was the only way to know they were actually clean in her mind. Karen looked up from the soapy water and saw Lucas enter the kitchen. He looked confused to say the least and she could tell he wanted to talk. She dried her hands on the towel that was on the counter and walked over to the table taking a seat. Lucas quickly sat down, his eyes locking with Karen's.

"Ma?" Lucas barely whispered out.

"What's going on Lucas?" Karen asked looking at her eldest child.

"Why did Aria call you 'Grandma Karen' today?" Lucas asked looking back at the photo.

"I told them they could call me Grandma." Karen replied pushing some hair behind her ear. "You know Brooke's parents are not involved in her life."

"That's it?" Lucas questioned looking up at his mom.

"Lucas, I've always rooted for you and Brooke to be together." Karen placed her hand on Lucas' arm. "You two didn't work out, but Brooke has always been like a daughter to me. So, of course I'm going to playing the role of grandma to the twins. They need a grandma."

"What about Julian's mom?" Lucas questioned again. "Isn't she involved?"

"Well, of course." Karen answered. "But she's all the way in California and there isn't a whole lot she can do from there."

"Hm…"

"Lucas, what's going on?"

"I think I'm just making things harder then they have to be." Lucas sighed placing the photo on the table and pushing it to Karen. "Alan looks just like I did."

"I thought the same thing when I looked at this picture." Karen smiled at the memory captured on the special paper. "It's just this picture though."

"I guess…" Lucas folded his arms.

"Lucas, come on now." Karen reassured him. "Don't you think Brooke would tell you something this important and serious?"

"Yeah, I know she wouldn't keep this from me." Lucas agreed sadly. "He doesn't even look like Julian."

"Apparently Julian has a brother who looks like Alan." Karen smiled softly. "Look at Jamie for example. He is a mini Lucas."

"Yeah, I see your point." Lucas looked down at the table. "What am I supposed to do?"

Karen frowned at the sadness in Lucas' voice. She hated seeing her son like that and it killed her not being able to do anything. Deep down in her heart, she knew that Lucas and Brooke were perfect for one another. They brought out the best in each other. She had only wished that Lucas had realized that before he had left with Peyton four years ago. Karen supported her son in all of his choices and who ever made him happy. If she was completely honest with herself, she knew she wanted Brooke to leave Julian and be with Lucas. Karen liked Julian, and thought he was a decent guy. He treated Brooke right and he made her happy, but he wasn't her son.

"Lucas, is that why you came back to Tree Hill?" Karen wondered out loud. "You came back in hopes of reconciling with Brooke?"

"Am I that obvious?" Lucas sulked in the chair.

"Lucas, you are my son." Karen smiled sadly at him. "I know these things."

"I don't want to sit around and just wait for her." Lucas breathed out heavily. "If I don't fight for her now, I'll never get her back. But if I do fight for her, I'll ruin a family and I'd hate myself for that."

"Lucas, there's no need to rush." Karen squeezed his arm softly. "If something is meant to be, it will happen. In the right time, with the right person, for the best reason."

**Thanks for reading. I hope you liked this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think. On a side note, I want to thank xtinkxproductionsx again for making a preview video for this story! The link will also be on my profile page. Here's the link.. Check it out! /mAqw_3rnDC4**

**Also, the poll is still open. I will be closing the poll on Lucas staying single or finding someone new next week. So if you haven't voted, do so. You guys are amazing, now leave a review please. I love to hear what you think!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making a preview video for this story! The link will also be on my profile page. Here's the link.. Check it out! /mAqw_3rnDC4**

**There is also a second video made by xtinkxproductionsx. I am so very thankful for the two amazing videos that have been made. Both links will be on my profile page under the story title. Check it out! /DWW962x4zSo **

_Thank you to… _

_MinnTangerine: You are totally right, he deserves to know. He will find out here in the next few chapters. There will be a conversation between them once he finds out._

_Guest: Thanks for the input and I agree! Either way, it works.. It is after all Brucas! Glad you are enjoying the story! _

_dianehermans: I loved the last of the chapter too! It felt like the best way to end the chapter. It's only a matter of time before the secret is out and the reactions happen!_

_ .darkxx: I'm glad to bring Rachel back! I love the Brachel friendship! Footnotes sometimes have a story of their own! _

_Guest: He will fight for Brooke! _

_Princesakarlita411: Thanks! Hope this one is just as good!_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: There will be more Lucas and Julian scenes to come, along with more seeds planted!_

_Tanya2byour21: I'm glad you liked the chapter! The truth is going to be coming out here within the next few chapters_

_DanI Oth: Thanks for reading it. Your review was worth the wait! Yeah, that's what I wanted, was for the readers to know. Yes, Rachel and Julian are the only ones to know the truth. You are correct. Thanks so much for your comments! Thanks for being my inspiration! _

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 13**

_**3 Months Later**_

_The sweetest things you can do for a girl are the little things that let her know she's in your heart and on your mind_

"Damn, Brooke Davis looks hot!" Lucas grinned as Brooke entered the kitchen in her house wearing a skin tight red dress that clung to her curves and fitted perfectly in all the right places.

"Why do we have to bring him with us?" Brooke rolled her eyes playful as she pointed her thumb at Lucas leaning against the counter.

"Maybe because Julian invited him." Nathan shrugged his shoulders.

"I still don't understand why." Haley spoke, running her fingers through her hair. "It's not like you two have actually hung out and spoken to each other."

"I didn't even notice." Lucas answered sarcasm in his tone. "I would have much rather stayed home and watched the kids."

Over the past few months, Lucas had grown extremely close to the twins. He was just as close with Jamie and Lily, but the connection with Aria and Alan seemed to be a bit stronger. He had begun to learn their ways and their little games they pulled. Whenever Brooke needed someone to watch the kids, Lucas was the first to volunteer. It got to the point, where the first person Brooke asked was Lucas. The twins adored Lucas, and always insisted on spending time with him. He had become their favorite person in the short amount of time. It could have been because they always seemed to be able to get away with a lot more then with Brooke and Julian or anyone else for that matter. Slowly over time, a prank war between the twins and Lucas had occurred. As of right now, the twins were one up on Lucas and he was figuring out the best way to get back at them. They pretty much had Lucas whipped to say the least. Aria had Lucas wrapped around her little finger. All she had to do was stick her bottom lip out and make her eyes nice and big and Lucas would cave into anything she wanted. He knew that Aria got that look from Brooke. As for Alan, he liked to use blackmail, even at such a young age, he knew what he was doing. There was no doubt in Lucas' mind that the twins most defiantly got most of their traits from Brooke. Scheming, blackmailing, and the batting the eyelashes with the bottom lip sticking out look were dead giveaways.

Even with how close the three of them had gotten, Lucas and Brooke's friendship had grown rather quickly as well. It could have been due to their past history, but they were becoming great friends. Their friendship had become one of the most important things in Brooke's life. Lucas had stopped trying so hard to get her back, and making it obvious. Although, they still flirted quite a bit, and that didn't go unnoticed by anyone. The flirting came naturally and Brooke had been doing it subconsciously. Whenever Haley or Rachel would mention it to Brooke, she'd blush, roll her eyes and shrug it off and say they were crazy. The friendship that Lucas and Brooke were able to build was getting stronger each day. Lucas had stepped up and showed Brooke in a way that he wasn't the same guy back in high school. That he was capable of being mature and dependable. Seeing Lucas with the twins made her realize that. The awkwardness had gone away, though in some moments, it was still there.

Especially with Julian. The two men rarely spoke to each other and avoided one another at all costs. They may have said five sentences to one another in the last three months. The only real conversation they had was the day at the park when Rachel had returned. So, of course it would be awkward for the two men. They were both in love with the same woman. Lucas and Julian were jealous of each other. Lucas was jealous that Brooke was in a long term relationship with Julian. They had a family together. Julian had everything that Lucas wanted, and wanted with Brooke. Julian on the other hand was jealous of the history between Brooke and Lucas. A history that didn't just disappear or go unnoticed. Lucas was Brooke's first real relationship. Her first love. Brooke and Lucas had this epic love story. A story about romance, destiny and fate. Even though they were not together and Brooke was with Julian, he still felt jealous. It was Lucas Scott after all. The one person who could potentially take everything away from Julian in a heartbeat. It was only a matter of time before Julian felt like that could happened. As much as he didn't want it to happen, it was going to sooner or later. Once Lucas found out about the twins, Julian wasn't sure what role he'd be playing.

Brooke had still yet to tell Lucas about the twins. She had told Rachel and Julian that she would tell him when she was ready. That always seemed to get pushed back with every excuse she could come up with. She hadn't mentioned it to Lucas for many reasons, their past history being the biggest reason. Brooke knew she was wrong and felt guilty about it. Whenever she saw Lucas with the twins, she just wanted to tell him. She refused, fearing that Lucas wouldn't want to be apart of their lives anymore. With the twins being so attached to Lucas, she didn't want to risk ruining the relationship they had with Lucas. She knew better though. With everything that had happened with Dan, she should have spoken up sooner. Either way, she figured that when the time came, she'd explain her reasoning and everything would work out and be ok. It just had to be. Brooke wasn't ready to come to terms with telling everyone and mostly Lucas. She wasn't ready for the anger that she was sure would come with the realization. As for right now, she had Julian there helping her with everything and she was content with that for right now.

"What exactly is this thing again?" Nathan questioned, ignoring his brother's comment.

"It's a production party." Brooke replied, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "He just landed this movie and he wanted to celebrate with everyone."

"This is so great for him!" Haley smiled looking at Brooke. "Speaking of, where is he and Rachel?"

"Julian went to Tric early to help make sure everything was set up perfectly." Brooke answered as she grabbed a mug and filled it with water. "Rachel went to help too."

"Why didn't you go?" Nathan questioned yet again.

"Nathan!" Haley elbowed him in the side. "This is not a police interrogation!"

"Hey, I'm just a curious guy!" Nathan grabbed his side. "That hurt!"

"Good!" Haley smirked rolling her eyes, getting a laugh out of Lucas and Brooke.

"Julian refused to let me help." Brooke sipped the water. "He was pretty determined to make sure I didn't help actually."

"So he let Rachel help?" Lucas looked at Brooke. "But he wouldn't let you help?"

"I guess so." Brooke shrugged finishing her water.

"Maybe they're hooking up?" Lucas blurted out before it registered in his head.

"Lucas!" Haley and Brooke screeched at the same time.

"What?" Lucas smirked. "We all know how Rachel was in high school!"

"Good one!" Nathan raised his hand to high five Lucas, right as Brooke took the now empty mug and hit Lucas with it on the arm.

"OW!" Lucas looked over at Brooke like she was crazy, then looked over at Haley.

"Don't be such a baby." Haley laughed, shaking her head. "You deserved it."

"She hit me with a coffee cup…" Lucas grinned slightly. "I was mugged!"

"Oh, give me a break." Brooke couldn't help but laugh at Lucas' joke.

"I think we should get going." Nathan stood up from his seat on the stool. "If we don't get going now Lucas, we may end up in the hospital."

"Yeah, I agree with you on that one." Lucas smirked as the two men disappeared out of the kitchen.

"You'd never believe that they used to hate each other." Brooke laughed as she and Haley followed the men out of the house.

XoX

_Never ignore someone who loves you, cares for you, and misses you, because one day you might wake up and realize you lost the moon while counting the stars._

The four of them made it to Tric and were now at the bar. The party was well on it's way and everything was running smoothly. Everyone was having a good time. Haley and Nathan were letting loose and having a few drinks while dancing wildly. Rachel had found Brooke and was keeping her entertained at the bar most of the night. The redhead continuously kept asking Brooke's opinion on the guys that had made it to the party. Rachel was looking for one to hook up with possibly. Lucas sat at the bar, just observing everything. A few girls had come up to him and asked him to dance, but he politely declined. The only girl he wanted to dance with was currently being distracted by her friend. Julian had made a short appearance, right as the party had began. They hadn't seen him halfway through the night. The only person who had noticed his absence was Lucas. The blonde had made it his goal to figure out if Julian Baker had any skeletons in his closet. Lucas refused to believe that Julian was perfect and knew that he must have something hidden. So, he always tried to be very observant of Mr. Baker. As he looked around the general area of the club, he couldn't find Julian. In that moment, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Lucas turned around and came face to face with Julian. They stood their in silence, the music and numerous sounds from the crowd being the only thing making noise. Julian nodded towards a door, signaling that he wanted to talk to Lucas. Curiosity getting the best of him, Lucas followed Julian. They walked out the door, and were both met with a wave of fresh air. The two men stood their, staring out at the cars all parked in the lot, with their hands in their pockets. Both leaning back and forth, waiting for the other to speak.

"What can I do for you?" Lucas asked, not bothering to look at him.

"I figured I needed to explain why I wanted you here." Julian spoke quietly.

"I don't really care." Lucas shrugged. "I came because Brooke wanted me to come."

"Oh, I'm sure you did." Julian rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Just get on with it already." Lucas said looking up at the sky.

"In your lifetime, you will find and meet one person who will love you more than anybody you have ever known and will know." Julian swallowed the lump in his throat as he clutched the item in his pocket. "They will love you with every bit of energy and soul. They will sacrifice, surrender and give so much that it scares you. Someday, you'll know who that is. Sometimes, people realize who it was."

"What is your point?" Lucas asked confusion clear on his face as he turned to look at Julian.

"The moment I met Brooke, I knew that person was her." Julian turned to face Lucas. "She proves it to me everyday without even knowing."

"Look, I'm not going to stand here and listen to you go on and on about your love life." Lucas turned to leave, getting annoyed with the conversation.

"You realized it was Brooke." Julian spoke, causing Lucas to stop in his tracks. "But you realized it too late."

"It's never too late." Lucas mumbled to himself, his back still to Julian.

"You know Brooke is just about the greatest girl you could ever know." Julian said, pulling the item out of his pocket. "And I'm the one who ended up with her, and that must suck."

"Julian, what is your point in all of this?" Lucas asked turning around to face him.

The second he turned around, his eyes landed on the small, velvet, black box in Julian's hand. Lucas stared at it, his mouth a gape open. He swallowed, realizing he had become speechless. Everything started running through his mind, and then it clicked. That's why Julian wanted him here. He was going to propose to Brooke in front of him. Julian wanted to make sure that Lucas was there to see it. The blonde looked up at the brunette man and looked him in the eyes. Lucas' heart raced and was pounding hard. He was sure his heart would stop or he'd have a heart attack at how rapidly his heart was reacting to this situation. He saw any future possibility with Brooke flash before his eyes.

"I'm asking Brooke to marry me." Julian replied, twirling the box in his hand. "I figured you should know first hand, so you weren't caught off guard."

"Why would I care?" Lucas shrugged, trying to play it cool.

"Lucas, I wasn't born yesterday." Julian rolled his eyes. "I know you are still very much in love with her."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Lucas tried to laugh, his nervousness showing.

"You act like you don't care, but deep inside, it hurts." Julian looked down at the ring. "If it still hurts, you still care."

Lucas stood their, pondering what he wanted to say. He couldn't find one bad thing about Julian. It was like he was Mr. Perfect. He did all the right things, he knew all the right things to say, and he knows what he has when he has it. As Lucas stood there, he realized that Julian was everything that Lucas wanted to be for Brooke. Everything he could be for her. Realizing just how _perfect_ Julian was, it made him sick. His blue eyes looked around the area as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

"Why do you have to be so damn perfect?" Lucas questioned, his eyes meeting Julian's.

"I'm far from perfect." Julian laughed. "But thanks for the compliment."

"Why did I even bother asking?" Lucas mumbled to himself. "I'm not giving up without a fight."

"Yeah, I know." Julian nodded, as he walked over to the door, his hand resting on the knob. "Relationships are worth fighting for, but you can't be the only one fighting."

Lucas watched as Julian disappeared behind the door. His last comment lingering in Lucas' head. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew Julian was right. Now he needed to find Brooke, before it was too late.

**That's it for this chapter. Sorry the chapter was so short. it's a bit of a filler chapter. What did you guys think? Review and let me know. Just so you all know, the poll is now closed. Thank you to everyone who voted and told me what you wanted. By a unanimous vote, Lucas will stay single in this story. Thanks for voting! You guys are seriously amazing and make me want to keep on writing for you all. Be sure to check out the trailer videos for this story. There are links on my profile page. Alright, thanks again my wonderful readers. Be sure to leave a review and let me know what you think. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making a preview video for this story! The link will also be on my profile page. Here's the link.. Check it out! /mAqw_3rnDC4**

**There is also a second video made by xtinkxproductionsx. I am so very thankful for the two amazing videos that have been made. Both links will be on my profile page under the story title. Check it out! /DWW962x4zSo **

_Thank you to… _

_Thisplacewasneverthesame: Ha, there will be more cliffhangers to come! I'm glad to know it's helping you out with your double shifts. Those can be a pain!_

_Guest: The truth is coming. It'll be pretty big. He is a good guy, which makes things difficult._

_dianehermans: The truth will come out soon. That is not the only reason why he is asking her to marry him, but it's part of why he's asking so soon. _

_Guest: I hope this chapter was worth the wait!_

_Princesakarlita411: Glad to see that you like both. There is more drama to come!_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: There will be more of it. Thanks for reading!_

_Tanya2byour21: Don't lose faith in them yet. It is in the Brucas section for a reason. _

_DanI Oth: Thanks! I couldn't help but not put that line in there. It's SO Rachel!_

_Skyec20: I'm happy to know I have you hooked! The torture will slowly come to an end soon._

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 14**

_Letting go of what you love is difficult, but holding on to something that isn't meant for you is impossible._

Brooke looked in the mirror that was in the small bathroom. She touched up some makeup that had smeared off. A smile formed on her lips as she looked at her reflection. Her mind thought back to what Lucas had said earlier that night. That she was hot. The smallest blush filled her cheeks as she continued to look at herself. She was hot. She knew it and everyone knew it. Shaking the thought from her mind, she gathered her clutch and made her way towards the door. She needed to get back to Rachel, before she sent a search party for her. The fiery red head had been joined at Brooke's hip the entire night. Brooke wasn't sure why, but she had to fight with her to let her go to the restroom alone. A small laugh left Brooke's lips as she opened the door and made her way out. She walked down the short hallway, intending on heading back to the dance floor when she felt someone tug on her arm.

Lucas grabbed her arm, gently but firmly and pulled her into the room that the talent used to get ready before going on stage. Once they were in the room, Lucas shut the door and locked it behind him. Brooke looked at the blonde, confusion clearly written on her face. She waited patiently for him to explain why he had pulled her into this room. She watched as Lucas ran a hand through his hair and looked around the room. A soft smile came to her lips as she continued to look on. Lucas always seemed to look around a room and run a hand through his hair, when he was trying to figure out what he wanted to say. Call it a nervous habit of his, but Brooke always thought that it was cute. She cleared her throat, which caused Lucas to look up at her and he suddenly remembered that he had pulled her into the room.

"Care to share why you pulled me in here?" Brooke laughed slightly.

"I just wanted to talk to you." Lucas shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok, well then talk." Brooke spoke, taking a seat on the black, leather love seat.

"How serious are you about Julian?" Lucas blurted out, not intending to start the conversation off that way.

"Lucas…"

"Brooke, I'm just curious." Lucas replied as he moved closer towards where she was sitting.

"We're serious, Luke." Brooke sighed, this was not how she wanted to spend her night.

"Must be pretty serious." Lucas rolled his eyes at the thought of what Julian was planning on doing.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Brooke asked, curious by his actions.

"How could you just hook up with him?" Lucas looked into her eyes. "Shortly after proclaiming your love for me?"

"What, was I supposed to do? Wait around four years in hopes of you returning and proclaiming your love for me?" Brooke threw her hands in the air.

"I just didn't think you would have moved on so quickly!" Lucas fought back. "I think I have a right to be mad, don't you?"

"You are not allowed to be mad!" Brooke said sternly.

"Really?" Lucas raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not allowed to be mad, that you hooked up with Julian right after you professed your love to me?"

"It was not right after…" Brooke stood up from her spot. "And seriously?! I told you I loved you and I wanted to be with you! But you didn't choose me. You left, with Peyton! I left, and Julian was there to pick up the pieces. We didn't get together until two years later!"

"Really?" Lucas shouted. "So you two weren't together when the twins were born?"

Brooke took a step back. Her heart started racing. This was not the way she wanted the truth to come out about them. Not when they were fighting. She looked away from Lucas and turned her back to him. Her mind raced, trying to figure out the most logical explanation. She breathed in and sighed heavily as she looked up at the ceiling. She rubbed her bare arms in a soothing way, trying to comfort herself. Finally thinking of something to say, she turned around and looked him straight in his blue eyes.

"We hooked up once." Brooke lied, looking down at the ground. "It only takes one time to get pregnant. I wasn't ready to be in a relationship. Julian knew that and he waited for me."

"So you did hook up with him right after?" Lucas eyed her, his voice calming down slightly.

"Yes." Brooke lied as she looked at the walls in the room. "It was just a rebound at the time."

"Girls fall in love with rebounds?" Lucas crossed his arms, his eyes penetrating into hers.

"Every time." Brooke swallowed at how close they were. "But it's not real love. Your head tricks you into it, to protect you from the crushing pain that your heart is putting you through."

Lucas licked his lips as he listened to the words Brooke was saying. He could see that he was starting to upset her, but he needed her. He needed her to know how he felt. He needed to know where he stood, and if he had any chance at all in winning her heart back. As Lucas stood there, watching her talk he couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of wanting to pull her into his arms and just kiss her and hold her. Just like they used to do. But he willed himself to stay still and keep his hands to himself. Listening to her go on about Julian and rebounds and heartbreak made him realize just how bad he had hurt her. He knew that he had hurt her pretty badly in the past, but he never knew just how bad it hurt. Not until now.

"There used to be an ache in my heart." Brooke bit her bottom lip. "Where you used to be."

"How was I supposed to know that?" Lucas asked, feeling guilt wash over him.

"You just were." Brooke shook her head, a sigh escaping her.

The room fell silent. Both of them standing with their arms crossed over their chests, staring at one another. Their hearts racing, but not sure what move to make next. Their eyes looked into each others. Searching. Trying to find some answers, some clarity on the situation at hand. Why did everything with them have to be difficult? Things with Lucas and Brooke were never easy and they both knew that. Their history together was proof of it. Even with all of the pain and heartache, there was still a glimmer of possibility. What that possibility was, was unclear to them. They had lost their way with one another, and were still struggling to find their way back. The two of them knew they both needed each other in their lives, but the question remained was what. What was their role in each others lives? If they could answer that question, it would make everything so much easier.

"Brooke…"

"Lucas…"

The silence was starting to becoming overwhelming and Lucas knew he needed to tell her. It was now or never. Yes, he loved having her in his life, even if it was just as friends. But who was he kidding? He needed her to know just how he was feeling. He couldn't let her slip away again. He lost her one too many times. His thoughts traveled to the conversation he had with Julian previously. Julian was going to ask Brooke to marry him, and Lucas knew what Brooke's answer would be. He knew that the brunette had longed to be married and to be a mother. Lucas needed to fight for her.

"Do you know how it feels?" Lucas asked in almost a whisper. "To let go of someone you really love for a long time, just for them to be happy?"

"Trust me, I know how it feels." Brooke answered, looking deep into those blue eyes she loved so much. "I know exactly how it feels. To cry in the shower so no one can hear you, and waiting for everyone to fall asleep so you can fall apart. For everything to hurt so bad you just want it all to end. I know exactly how it feels."

"Right, you do." Lucas sighed as he sat on the sofa, realizing his question was a bit dumb.

"Lucas, you can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one." Brooke sat down next to him, placing a hand on his knee. "I need you in my life."

"I need you too." Lucas looked down at her hand on his knee.

"I'm beginning to trust you again." Brooke turned her body to face him. "It's scaring me. I'm giving you new ways to hurt me every single day. What's strange is… I actually don't think you will."

"I won't hurt you again." Lucas placed his hand on hers. "Just give me a chance."

"Lucas, I've given you chance after chance." Brooke looked down. "Every chance I give you, you always let me down."

"I've grown up and I know what I want." Lucas took her hand and placed it on his chest. "Do you feel that? That's my heart, beating for you. My heart belongs to you Brooke. Only you. My heart has always belonged to you, even when I didn't realize it."

Brooke bit her bottom lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She'd be lying to herself if she didn't want to believe him. Here he was, Lucas Scott sitting right in front of her, telling her he loved her and wanted to be with her. She had dreamed of this millions of times, back when she thought that they would have a possible future together. But that future had slowly disappeared over time. If only he had come and found her sooner. Hearing his words, she felt herself pulling closer to him. This was the Lucas Scott she had fallen in love with so many years ago. Even after the many years that past, he still had this effect on her. He was able to make her forget all the horrible things that he had done to hurt her. As she sat there, staring into his blue crystal eyes that were filled with so much love for her, her mind began to get clouded. Clouded with the pain. The pain was starting to become stronger then any amount of love Lucas could proclaim to her. He had hurt her far too many times for her to just simply forgive him and come crawling back into his arms.

"I have to go…" Brooke spoke, taking her hand away from him and standing up.

"You mean everything to me, Brooke." Lucas pleaded with her. "Please don't let me go."

Brooke felt her heart strings pull at the pleading tone in his voice. He sounded so sad and hopeless. It took everything in her to not turn around and comfort him. She wanted to tell him that everything would be ok, but she couldn't. Not when she knew that everything wouldn't be ok. At least not right now. Then the thought crossed her mind. When had these old feelings been brought back from where she had buried them? Here Lucas was, begging for her to come back to him, and she was considering it. This was wrong in so many ways. She couldn't do this. She couldn't put Julian through what Lucas had put her through. She refused to be apart of another love triangle. Even if she was the main focus point in it. It wouldn't be fair to anyone, and someone would get hurt. Someone always got hurt. She knew that first hand. Brooke breathed in and smoothed out her dress and walked over to the door. She was going to leave without responding to Lucas, but his words stopped her in her tracks.

"Damn... How did things get this way?" Lucas stood up, closing the distance that Brooke had made between them. "You know I still love you, No matter what I say, No matter what I do, You know we still love each other…"

"Yes, I still love you." Brooke confessed unwillingly, as she saw a spark of happiness flash in Lucas' eyes. "Yes, I still care about you. Yes, I still think about you. But, no I don't want you back."

The smallest glimmer of reconciliation with Brooke had been diminished. Just when he thought there was hope, she proved him wrong. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He didn't know how to respond to that. He felt his heart tighten at her words. In that moment, he could have sworn his heart broke in two. As he stood there looking at her, and her looking back at him he knew what needed to be done and what needed to be said. He loved Brooke, there was no doubt about it. All Lucas wanted, was for Brooke to be happy. Even if that meant being happy with someone other than himself. He looked down at his feet contemplating if he was making the right decision. It's not that there was a decision to be made, but to him there was. It was a decision on his part. He knew the second she walked out of this room, there would be no turning back. Brooke had made it pretty clear to him where her heart lied. The decision he needed to make was to let her go or not. Brooke either left the room and they'd go back to being just friends, or they'd stop being friends and Lucas would let her go. He slowly looked back up at her and swallowed the lump that had formed in the back of his throat.

"I'll let you go." Lucas took a deep breath, knowing this was the right thing to do. "You're the most important thing to me and you want to leave me. So, I'll let you go. If that's what makes you happier and if that's what you want to do, then go ahead because your happiness matters to me more than mine. That's just the type of person I am, no matter how much it hurts me. I don't want to hold you back, and I don't want your time to be wasted on me."

Brooke looked into his eyes and she saw the sincerity in his eyes. In that moment, both of them felt the weight lift off of their shoulders. Was this closure they were getting? Or was it the step in the right direction for their pending relationship, whether it be lovers or friends. A sad smile graced her lips as she looked up into his sad orbs. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. Lucas stepped aside, allowing her to walk out of the door. She unlocked it and placed her hand on the knob. Brooke waited for a short moment. She didn't know what she was waiting for. Possibly for him to stop her. She had this feeling that the second she stepped out of this room, things were going to change drastically. She didn't know what that change was going to be, but she wanted Lucas apart of it. Just when she was going to walk out, she heard him speak ever so softly.

"I'll wait for you." Lucas spoke so softly that it sent shivers down her back. "Because now, I know that it doesn't matter who ends up with who. Because in some unearthly way... It's always gonna be you and me. What we have is beyond friendship, beyond lovers. What we have… It's forever."

And in that moment, clarity was made between Lucas Scott and Brooke Davis

XoX

If someone really loves you they wouldn't let you slip away no matter how hard the situation is.

Brooke made her way back to the main area of Tric. She looked towards the bar, and started making her way over. She had the sudden urge for a hard drink. Making her way through the crowds of people, she had made it half way to the bar when she felt her arm being tugged on again. The brunette sighed and rolled her eyes. As she turned and was about to yell, thinking it was Lucas who had grabbed her again, she quickly shut her mouth. Her eyes fell onto Rachel who had panic written all over her face.

"There you are!" Rachel freaked out. "I have been looking all over for you!"

"Sorry, I was in the restroom." Brooke half lied.

"No you weren't." Rachel eyed her up and down. "I checked in there."

"Oh, well I stepped outside to get some fresh air." Brooke looked anywhere but in Rachel's eyes.

"You're still lying Bitch." Rachel folded her arms over her chest, giving Brooke the look that she knew she was lying.

"No I'm not Skank!" Brooke challenged Rachel.

"Well, it doesn't matter right now!" Rachel shook her head, pulling Brooke towards the stage. "I'll bug you about it later."

"Where are you taking me?" Brooke asked as she was dragged by her friend.

After being pulled through the crowd, Brooke and Rachel stood at the front of the stage. The lights dimmed and a spotlight became apparent on the stage. Her hazel eyes looked around the stage, curious to know what was going on. She looked over at Rachel who just smirked at her. Brooke was going to ask Rachel what was going on, as the look on her face told Brooke that Rachel was behind this. The second she opened her mouth to speak, she heard Julian's voice boom throughout the club. Her eyes darted up to the tall brunette man who had made his presence on the stage.

"How is everyone tonight?" Julian asked into the microphone, and got a response of cheers. "I'd like to thank each and every one of you for coming out tonight and supporting me. I'm very excited for where this new production will take me and my career. Most of all, I'd like to thank someone very special and dear to my heart. Brooke Davis, could you come up here please?"

Brooke raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him, a smile on his face. She looked over at Rachel who shrugged and moved out of the way. Brooke licked her lips as she made her way up the short amount of stairs to the stage. The light shone down on the two of them as she met Julian at the center of the stage. He smiled at her and grabbed her hand. She looked at him, a confused smile evident on her face. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. For some reason, she felt nervous. She had been in front of bigger crowds before and on stage. This time it felt different. She had no clue what was going on.

"Julian, what's going on?" Brooke asked, only so Julian could hear her.

"Brooke, thank you." Julian gave her the biggest smile possible. "Thank you for always being there. For always believing in me. When I was down and ready to give up, you kept me pushing. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I'd be here right now." He smiled at her, and his words caused her to blush. "I love you. And it's not because you make me happy, not because you make me feel special, not because you're the sweetest person ever… but because I just love you, and I don't need any reasons for that."

"Julian…" Brooke looked up at him, confusion still clearly written on her face.

"Everyone says that the next thing I do, the next choice I make is going to define me. My career, my life, well, the next thing I want to do is ask you to be my wife and tell you how much I love you and how nothing else matters. When I look into your eyes Brooke, I see the rest of my life and I see it with you." Julian looked at her, and as he made his way down to one knee all of the confusion on her face vanished and was replaced with shock. "Marry me Brooke Davis?"

The crowd waited in silence after a few 'awes' and 'oh my gods' for Brooke to answer. Her heart was racing a mile a minute and she was speechless. She had longed so long for this day, this moment. Now, here it was. A man so in love with her, down on one knee proposing marriage to her. This should have been the happiest night of her life. Yet here she was, searching for an answer to respond. Of course it was a one word answer. All she had to do was say yes or no. But what answer to choose was her decision. She bit her bottom lip as she looked down at Julian, holding the ring out to her. Brooke's eyes glistened with tears of happiness. She took a deep breath and looked up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him standing there in the background. He was out of everyone's view and only Brooke could see him. Her heart leapt out of her chest as she watched him stand their and stare back at her. They held eye contact briefly before she looked out at the crowd and back at Julian. She looked up once more and saw Lucas still standing there, waiting. Which ever answer she gave would define her relationship with both me. Who did she say yes to? Who's heart did she have to break unintentionally?

**That's it for this chapter. I know this is a tough chapter to read, but it needs to be done to lead up to the end of the story. I know most of you are all dying for Brucas to happen. Good things come to those who wait. Also, there is another poll on my profile again. I'm going to be bringing in another character. Her character will be a bit A.U. from her role on the show. She is NOT going to be a love interest for Lucas, as you all have voted for Lucas to stay single. Who would you like it to be? Alex Dupre? Quinn James? Taylor James? Mia Catalano? Lauren Fletcher? Gigi Silveri? Lindsey Strauss? Go vote and let me know who you'd like to see in the story. Or leave a review and let me know who you'd like to see out of those girls. I'm only bringing on girl, so the girl with the most votes will win. Thanks again for reading and make sure you leave a review and let me know what you think. You guys are all so awesome! I love your reviews!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making a preview video for this story! The link will also be on my profile page. Here's the link.. Check it out! /mAqw_3rnDC4**

**There is also a second video made by xtinkxproductionsx. I am so very thankful for the two amazing videos that have been made. Both links will be on my profile page under the story title. Check it out! /DWW962x4zSo **

_Thank you to… _

_Paystin4Life: I've realized that little kids are a lot more observant than adults. Lily's character wasn't developed much in the show, so I figured I'd give her the role of being logical and noticing the little things and big things like that. I'm glad you are liking the story. You'll see Brooke's answer in this chapter! _

_ .darkxx: Yes, a girl can dream. Though, the thought has crossed my mind. You'll just have to keep reading to see. I agree with the cheating. Even though I made Lucas kiss Brooke in the beginning of the story, it was something that he needed to do in that moment. He knows better now. No problem about the quick updates, I'm trying to update at least once a week for you guys! _

_dianehermans: I had a feeling you'd like the beginning of the chapter. Hope this one you love too. _

_MinnTangerine: I'm glad I was able to get a few tears from you when Lucas' let Brooke go. It's what I was aiming for. _

_Princesakarlita411: Thanks!_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: Thanks so much for your review! I'm glad you like the story!_

_Tanya2byour21: Thanks for the review. You'll find out what she says in this chapter! _

_DanI Oth: The female character will have a role in the plot of BL. Not saying how, but she will. Yeah, I loved writing Lucas' speech. It just seemed so Lucas!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 15**

_Forget all the reasons it wont work, and believe in the one reason why it will._

Brooke rolled over in her bed and placed her arm out. Feeling the cold sheet hit her hand, she opened her eyes and looked around. Sitting up in the bed, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She sat there for a moment, wondering where he had gone. Realizing that the house was quiet, a bit too quiet she climbed out of bed. Pulling on her robe, she made her way out of the bedroom and down the hall. She checked in Alan's room first and noticed his bed was empty and he was not in his room. Puzzled, she went on to Aria's room next, to find that she was not there either. Her heart started to race, as she wondered where her children were. She made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. A sigh of relief washed over her as she saw the twins sitting at the table eating a bowl of cereal. Julian stood at the counter drinking a cup of coffee and reading the movie reviews in the newspaper. A soft smile crept upon her face as she walked over towards the twins and kissed each of them on their heads. She then made her way over to Julian and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind him.

"Good morning." Julian mumbles slightly, his eyes not leaving the reviews. "There is coffee in the pot if you want any."

"Thanks." Brooke smiled, pulling away and grabbing herself a cup of coffee. "So what's the verdict?"

"Let's all agree right now, that they've ruined movies." Julian frowned, rereading the review. "Today's films have become loud, crass and predictable. Rare is the film that whispers, and yet into this arena comes Julian Baker's, Seven Dreams Till Tuesday. A gentle voice that cuts through the white noise of modern filmmaking."

"Aw, Julian!" Brooke grins, pulling him in for a hug. "They loved your movie!"

"Yay!" The twins clap their hands.

"This calls for a celebration!" Julian turns to look at Brooke.

"What did you have in mind?" Brooke raised an eyebrow.

"Why don't we see if their father can watch them?" Julian questions, a smirk on his face. "Then we can go out on the town have a night to ourselves."

"You don't want them to celebrate with us?" Brooke looks over at the twins who have frowns on their faces.

"Of course I want them to come." Julian shrugs. "But it'd be nice if it was just us for once."

Brooke looks away from Julian and over at the twins. A frown appears on her face, not wanting to be away from them. It seemed that ever since Lucas found out about the twins being his and the wedding, Julian didn't want to spend much time with them. It was like the twins had become his ugly step children. Julian helped out with the twins and helped take care of them and look after them. He just rarely wanted to spend time as a family with them. Brooke swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, about to protest Julian's idea when the twins spoke up.

"We don't want to go with you anyway!" Alan folded his arms across his little chest.

"We want to see our daddy!" Aria gave the infamous Brooke scowl towards Julian.

"See, they want to see him." Julian shrugged his shoulders. "So what do you say Mrs. Baker?"

"Let's go get your bags packed kids." Brooke gave a weak smile. "I'll call your father."

"Yay!" They spoke in unison and ran up to their rooms.

"I guess I'll go call Lucas." Brooke turned to leave the kitchen.

"Before you go…" Julian gently grabbed her arm and pulled her to him and kissed her. "I love you Brooke Baker."

"I love you too Julian Baker." Brooke smiled up at him before exiting the kitchen.

Later that evening, Alan and Aria sat in the living room playing with a couple toys while they waited for Lucas to come pick them up. Brooke smiled as she watched the brother and sister interact with each other. She wanted to spend time with them tonight, but she knew Lucas needed more time with them. She jumped slightly as she felt an arm snake around her waist. She looked over at Julian who was smiling down at her. Brooke gave him a smile and he leaned down and kissed her forehead. Her body snuggled closer to him, relaxing into his arms. After a short while, there was a knock on the door.

"Daddy's here!" Aria screamed loudly with happiness.

"Aria, we don't scream in the house." Julian says sternly.

"Julian." Brooke looks up at him. "She's just excited."

"Brooke, that doesn't make it ok." Julian shakes his head, as he walks over to the door.

"Come give mommy hugs and kisses." Brooke kneeled down, ignoring Julian's comment.

"Love you mommy!" The kids spoke at the same time, hugging her.

Julian made it over to the door and opened it. He stood there and looked at Lucas. It was almost as if the two men were having a staring contest with the other. It was safe to say, that they still clearly didn't get along with one another. Julian gave his smug smirk and stepped aside, allowing Lucas inside their home.

"Lucas."

"Julian."

"Kids, it's time to go with your father." Julian said looking towards the children.

"Bye mommy." Alan and Aria smiled, giving Brooke one last hug before running over to Lucas.

"There are my two favorite kids." Lucas smiled bending down to hug them

"We're you're only kids Daddy!" Alan laughed at him.

"You're still my favorite." Lucas grins. "Come on, let's go have some fun."

With that said, Lucas stood up and took a hold of Aria and Alan's hands. He looked over at Brooke and gave her a small smile and a nod before walking out of the house. Once they were outside, Julian shut the door and walked over to Brooke. He smiled and pulled him closer to him. She giggled, as he began to kiss her neck. Her heart raced as she felt his lips on her neck and she instantly forgot that she was upset with him about tonight and not wanting to spend time with the twins. Their lips finally met and they began a heated make out session. After a while, they were upstairs in their bedroom.

"Brooke."

"Hm?"

"Let's try for a baby."

"What?" Brooke questioned looking up into Julian's eyes.

"I want to start a family with you." Julian smiled down at her, moving a stand of hair from her face. "I know we have the twins, but I think we're ready for a baby of our own."

"Are you sure?" Brooke asked, not believing his words.

"I've never been more sure about anything." Julian spoke. "Besides marrying you."

Brooke smiled up at him and leaned up and kissed him passionately. A smile forming on his lips between their kisses. He walked them over to their bed and laid her down gently. Before they knew it, clothes were lying all over the floor and their bodies had become one.

XoX

_I'm not perfect. You're not perfect. But we're perfect together. And that's all that matters_

The sunlight broke through the blinds and began to shine down on Brooke's face. Feeling the warmth of the sun, a small yawn escaped her lips. She slowly opened her eyes, and looked around the room. Almost, as if on queue, his arm draped across her body and a smile formed on her face. A content sigh escaped her mouth as he got closer to her. He leaned up and over to her ear. He gently kissed her ear before whispering sweet nothings into it.

"Morning, Pretty Girl."

A soft pink blush fell across her cheeks at hearing him call her that. She rolled over to face the handsome, blue eyed man laying next to her whom she loved so much. She raised her hand and let it softly run down his cheek. Smiles on both of their faces, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. It was a sweet and tender kiss. Their kiss turned into multiple kisses that became a lot more heated. He rolled the brunette onto her back as he continued to kiss her. The sheet wrapped securely around their bodies still. Brooke ran her hands through his short blonde hair. Her hands began to travel down to his back, her nails digging into his back softly. He moaned at the sensation it caused him to feel. He nibbled on her lip as they continued their kiss. Their hearts raced, as their make out session got hotter. The mood quickly died as they heard soft giggles coming from the door way. He quickly pulled away from Brooke and sat on the side of her. She quickly pulled the sheet up over her chest tightly, as she looked at the twins standing by the door entrance to the bedroom.

"Daddy, what are you doing to mommy?" Aria asked tilting her head slightly.

"Why are you hurting mommy?" Alan asked tilting his head the opposite way.

"Well, uh, you see…" Brooke stuttered, as she looked over at him.

"Daddy was just giving mommy a special hug." He swallowed nervously.

"What's a special hug?" Aria questioned, putting her hands on her hips.

"Can we give special hugs?" Alan questioned along with his sister.

"No!" He shouted softly. "Special hugs are only given by two adults who love each other or between a mommy and a daddy."

"So you weren't hurting mommy?" The spoke in unison.

"No sweeties." Brooke smiled at them. "Daddy was just giving mommy a hug."

"Ok." They said at the same time. "We're hungry!"

"Why don't you two go downstairs and I'll be down in a second to make you some breakfast." He smiled over at them.

"Chocolate chip pancakes?" They begged with their eyes as they held their hands together in a pleading way.

"Why not." He laughed softly as the twins began jumping up and down.

"Yay!" Alan and Aria shouted and ran out of the room and down the stairs.

Brooke smiled at the interaction and looked over at him once the twins were gone. He gave her a smirk and leaned over and kissed her. Her heart raced and butterflies filled her stomach. She watched as he climbed out of the bed. A smirk came across her face as she watched his naked form grab his tight fitting black boxers. She couldn't help the whistle that left her lips as he pulled on his boxers. He turned around and wiggled his eyebrows at her. He climbed back onto the bed and crawled over towards her. He trapped her underneath him and gave her a long, lingering kiss that made her heart melt. She smiled up at him, while looking into his blue eyes.

"Why don't you shower and get ready for the day." He kissed her forehead. "I'll take care of the munchkins."

"Ok." Brooke whispered out, leaning up and kissing him. "I'll be down in a little while."

He kissed her one last time before climbing back out of bed. He threw on a pair of sweats and was about to put on a shirt. She stopped him from doing so, and told him she wanted him to walk around shirtless. He laughed at her and walked out of the room. Shirtless of course. What Brooke Davis wanted, Brooke Davis got.

An hour later, Brooke was showered and dressed for the day. She was applying the last bit of make up to her face, when she heard a loud crash. Her head turned and looked towards the door. She waited, to see if she heard it again. Not hearing any cries or any more loud noises she went back to her make up. Once she finished applying the last bit of her make up, she heard yet again another crash. Curious to know what was going on, she made her way out of the bedroom. The sound of water was the only thing she could hear coming from the kitchen. She shook her head, and pondered to herself. The crash was far too loud, and it had happened more then once. Was her daughter ok? Was her son ok? Was her husband ok? So many questions ran through her head. Brooke slowly made her way down the stairs. She looked around and didn't see anyone in the living room, but the front door was open. The front door could lead to the living room as well as the kitchen. It sounded as if everyone was in the kitchen. Cautiously Brooke made her way to the kitchen. She just barely peaked around the corner scared out of her mind. She took a few steps until she was fully in the door way of the kitchen. Brooke had a small smile forming from her lips at the site she saw.

The kitchen had been turned upside down. Brooke wasn't able to make out what happened. Her once cleaned kitchen, was a mess. There was flour everywhere. It was on the counters, the chairs, the table, and the floor. Along with water and chocolate sauce and chocolate chips. On the counter was a what looked like to be a once white plastic bowl and as electronic mixer. Next to that, was a pancake mix box. Obviously, they were attempting to make chocolate chip pancakes.

Lucas was laying on the kitchen floor in a puddle of water. He was covered in chocolate sauce and flour. To the right of him, was Aria and Alan. They stood with both of their hands on both of their cheeks. their mouth was formed in an "o". Aria's big round hazel eyes and Alan's big round blue eyes became bugged eyed as they noticed their mother standing in the doorway. They were covered in flour and chocolate sauce as well. To the right of Aria, was their husky, Max. Max barked happily at the sight of Brooke. Max was covered in water, flour, and chocolate sauce. Max sat there with his tongue hanging out and panting.

Lucas felt eyes staring at him. He shut his eyes and let a huge grin form on his face. As he rolled over on the floor he opened his eyes and looked up and saw his wife standing in front of him. She was staring right at him and their children. He slowly made his way to his knees and pulled the twins in front of him. He put his chin in the crook of Aria's neck and smirked. He hugged Alan close to his chest as Alan started to smile guiltily. Aria also began to form a small smirk. Brooke looked on at the three of them, wondering what was going to come out of their mouths. Lucas whispered in Aria's ear and then Alan's ear. They all looked at Brooke, and raised their hands up in the air and spoke.

"Mommy, we swear…" they all spoke in union. "…We had nothing to do with it!"

With that, Max ran in between Lucas, Alan, Aria and Brooke. In a matter of seconds, Max shook his coat of fur rapidly getting the excess chocolate sauce and water off of his coat of fur. Brooke was now also covered in the chocolate sauce and water. It was as if everything was planned out and rehearsed. She couldn't help but burst out laughing. The sight of everything from Lucas and the twins to the entire kitchen was far to cute and hilarious that she couldn't hold in her laughter. The twins and Lucas ran after Brooke and embraced her in a big hug. Lucas smiled at Brooke and kissed her on the lips and smiled at her.

"We tried to help make pancakes." Alan spoke proudly.

"Oh, really." Brooke looked at Lucas. "So, what did happen?"

"Max did it!" Aria, Alan and Lucas pointed to the dog.

"You are telling me that the dog made this mess?" Brooke looked at the three of them.

They all nodded their heads yes. Brooke shook her head in disbelief. There was no way that the dog caused this all, but she'd play along with their story.

"See what had happened was…" Lucas trailed off.

"Daddy was going to mix the pancake mix." Aria blurted out. "Then he pushed the button up too high and the mix went onto Max."

"Then Max went running wild and ran into daddy and knocked him down, causing the bowl, mix, chocolate sauce, water and flour to fly everywhere." Alan smiled a cheesy smile.

"Oh, so I guess it is all Max's fault." Brooke smirked as she went over and patted Max on his head.

"It sure was." All three of them smiled.

"Ok, so how about we get you three cleaned up?" Brooke said picking up Aria, while Lucas picked up Alan.

"Ok." The twins giggled.

"We will go have chocolate chip pancakes at Grandma's Café." Brooke smirked.

"Yay!" The twins high five each other in their parents' arms.

"I'll take care of this, while you get them bathed and cleaned up." Lucas smiled kissing his wife one last time before they made their way up the stairs with the twins.

"Sounds like a plan." Brooke smiled at Lucas as they made their way into the bathroom and set the kids on the floor. "I love you Lucas Scott."

"I love you Brooke Scott." Lucas grinned kissing her before making his way back to the kitchen to clean up.

XoX

_The more boys I meet the more I realize that its only him I want to be with_

Brooke shook her head as she heard her name being called. She looked around the room and realized she was in Tric, on the stage with Julian down on one knee and Lucas backstage hidden from everyone but herself. She had spaced out for a short while, imagining how her life would possibly be with both men. She knew what her heart wanted and she knew what her mind was telling her. Her hazel eyes locked with Lucas' blue eyes. Her gaze looked like she was looking towards Julian, but in all actuality she was looking straight at Lucas. Her heart raced in her chest as she bit her bottom lip. A soft, sad but happy smile appeared on her face.

"Yes…" Her eyes never left Lucas' eyes. "I'll marry you."

Julian smiled happily as he slipped the ring on her finger and stood up. He kissed her and hugged her and spun her around. Brooke smiled her perfected fake smile as they hugged. Her eyes wandered over to where Lucas was. The blonde nodded and gave a sad smile. He hung his head low and walked away. Even though Brooke said yes to Julian, deep down in her heart, she knew who she was really saying yes to. But she wouldn't allow herself to be with Lucas. Not yet at least. There was still too much hurt, pain and lies between them for them to even begin to rebuild their relationship. Brooke knew that it was her own fault too, but being who she was and as stubborn as she was, it was hard for her to drop her walls and open herself back up to Lucas Scott.

**Sorry for the delay. I was hoping to have the chapter up over the weekend, but I got busy with work. But here it is now. I hope it was worth the wait. I know you all have been dying for a Brucas interaction, so I hope this helped fill that void. I promise there will be more Brucas to come. Just hang with me. **

**The voting is still opened. It's looking like the majority of you are wanting to see Quinn James in the story. I just want to remind you that the girl that you all pick, her role will be completely different then her role in the show. She will play a role in the Brucas plot. I won't say how much though. So head on over to my profile and vote for the girl you want to see brought into the story. **

**Thanks again to all of you who review. It means a lot to me. You all are truly amazing and I love reading what you guys think. So please, keep them coming. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making a preview video for this story! The link will also be on my profile page. Here's the link.. Check it out! /mAqw_3rnDC4**

**There is also a second video made by xtinkxproductionsx. I am so very thankful for the two amazing videos that have been made. Both links will be on my profile page under the story title. Check it out! /DWW962x4zSo **

**Check out the edited version she created also! She's amazing! /BnkoVFAI0V8 **

_Thank you to… _

_Paystin4Life: I'm glad it wasn't what you expected. I'm trying to make this story less of what everyone expects (as there are many stories similar to this; break up and leaves town and comes back with a kid(s).) It's all coming in due time. _

_ .darkxx: Glad it made you almost speechless!_

_dianehermans: It's coming here soon. Sorry that she had to say yes, but everything happens for a reason._

_MinnTangerine: When has anything been easy for Brooke and Lucas? Plus we all know how stubborn Brooke can be. She knows her life would be happy with Lucas too. _

_Princesakarlita411: Thanks! I feel for him too. He will find happiness soon!_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: Here is another update for you!_

_Tanya2byour21: Sorry you were confused, even though that was what I was looking for in a way. I was kind of going with how the show opened in season 6 with Lucas making a decision on which girl to pick._

_DanI Oth: My goal was to confuse the readers slightly with the two scenes, so I'm happy it worked. Yes, very big mistake!_

_Guest: Sorry that she said yes, It was hard to write the last scene with her saying yes_

_Laurenkerry1995: So glad you love it. Here's another update!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 16**

_I think that the only reason why people hold onto memories so tight, for so long is because memories are the only things that don't change, even when people do._

Brooke groaned in her sleep as the sun beamed down onto her face. The slightest yawn escaped her lips as she wiggled around in the bed trying to get comfortable again. Unable to achieve her goal, she slowly opened her eyes. Looking up at the ceiling she moved her arm to lay across the bed next to her. Confusion became evident on her face as she looked over next to her. She was expecting to find Julian laying there next to her, but she found a cold sheet instead. Shrugging her shoulders she sighed and shut her eyes again. A small smile crept upon her face as she played with the ring that was currently on her left hand. She had been engaged to Julian for only a couple days and even though she claimed to be happy, a large part of her felt like she was missing something. She didn't feel whole like she should have felt. This was supposed to be the time where she was extremely happy, but she wasn't. Clearing her mind of her thoughts, she tried to doze back to sleep. A few minutes had passed by until she heard a grunt coming from the closet. Furrowing her eyebrows, she opened her eyes and looked towards the closet. She pushed herself up into a seating position and tilted her head towards the closet. She heard the grunt again and she knew it was Julian.

"Julian?" Brooke called from the bed.

"Yeah…" Julian responded a bit startled, peaking his head out from the closet.

"What are you doing?" Brooke questioned raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah I was just…" Julian stumbled off as he walked out of the closet. "doing some spring cleaning."

"Really?" Brooke folded her arms not buying it.

As if on cue with what Brooke had said, a box fell from the closet. The contents inside the box scattered all over the floor outside of the closet. Julian swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as Brooke looked at him. Her eyes watched as he became nervous and started playing with his hands. She looked down at the items on the floor. Her heart raced as she took notice of them contents. Memories started to flood her mind as she stared at them. The box that had spilled over was filled with mementos and letters from when she was with Lucas. As she looked at them scattered all over the ground, she realized that Julian had come across the box and was more then likely snooping through it. Suddenly she felt a sense of invasion of her privacy. How could he just go looking through her things? Brooke instantly grew angry with Julian and she didn't know why. Why should she be mad with him? They were getting married and shared everything with each other. At least, Julian thought they shared everything with each other. Obviously this box was something Julian didn't know about, and if he hadn't had stumbled across it, he probably would have never known about it.

"Were you snooping through my things?" Brooke asked as she climbed out of the bed and putting her robe on.

"I wasn't snooping." Julian put his hands up in the air. "The box fell when I was looking for a pair of shoes."

"Oh, I'm so sure." Brooke rolled her eyes as she started picking up the items and putting them back in the box.

"Why do you even still have all of these things?" Julian asked, feeling a bit envious. "I don't see any box filled with stuff from our relationship."

"It's for the twins when they get older." Brooke lied, avoiding his stare. "So they'd be able to know their father."

"That's bullshit and you know it!" Julian shouted, becoming angry with her for lying. "I don't understand why you have to lie about this."

"Just drop it Julian." Brooke sighed, putting the last of the contents back in the box.

"I'm not going to drop it." Julian stated as he watched her put the box on the bed. "We are going to talk about this."

"Later." Brooke crossed her arms, she really didn't want to discuss this right now.

"No, right now!" Julian demanded. "What's the deal with the box, Brooke?"

She breathed in heavily and stood there. She avoided looking Julian in the eye. Brooke wasn't sure how to explain the box to Julian. She could lie and just make some excuse up, but that wouldn't work. Julian was one of the few people who knew her better then she knew herself and he'd be able to call her out on lying. He just did a few seconds ago. How could she tell him the truth though? How could Brooke tell Julian that she has held on to the box for so long because she's always longed to go back to those moments in time? She's always wanted to go back to when her and Lucas were happy and together. Back then, her life was so easy, well considering the love triangle, it was easy. She was also the happiest she had been. How could Brooke tell Julian that the box was a form of her regrets. She regretted breaking up with Lucas when Peyton had told her, that she still had feelings for Lucas. Julian had become one of Brooke's best friends, and yet hear she was, not being able to be honest with him. She looked up at Julian, guilt clearly written on her face. Julian frowned at the look on Brooke's face and something in his gut made him figure out where this fight was going to possibly lead.

"Look, I'm sorry if this is weird for you." Brooke spoke, her words not making the situation any better.

"Do you still love him?" Julian asked bluntly, his eyes searching hers.

A long paused filled the room. The questioned had caught her off guard and she wasn't expecting it. Brooke didn't know how to answer the question. Yes, of course she still loves Lucas. People never stop loving their first love. But a part of her knew, that deep down, she was still in love with Lucas. The pain that Lucas had caused her was still so much more stronger then her love for him at the moment. Yet, here she was, newly engaged, to a man who treated her so amazingly well and had never hurt her and she couldn't be honest with him. Her heart broke slightly as she forced herself to get the answer out and make it sound as believable as she possibly could. If she wanted to at least try and make this work with Julian, she couldn't tell him the truth. He'd leave right then and there. Mustering up everything she had in her, she gave the best act she possibly could, so that he'd believe what she was saying.

"No…" Brooke bit her bottom lip, as the lie came out so easily. "I don't."

"Yeah, that's what Peyton said." Julian raised his eyebrows, crossing his arms.

"First of all, how dare you bring up information that you don't even know about, other then what I told you!" Brooke pointed her finger at him. "And secondly, I'm NOT Peyton!"

"I'm sorry…" Julian looked down at the ground. "I'm just tired of being in a relationship with the stench of Lucas Scott hanging all over it."

"And how do you think I feel?" Brooke looked at him like he was crazy. "I was the girl, who dated the guy who was in love with her best friend, twice. But now, I'm the girl who is dating this amazing movie producer guy, but yet has twins with her ex boyfriend, so she knows that he's going to be around for the rest of her life, whether she wants it that way or not."

"Ok, point taken." Julian nodded in agreement with Brooke.

"Yeah, it sucks, always being the footnote in someone else's love story." Brooke swallowed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"But you're right." Julian took a step closer to her. "You're not Peyton. What Lucas and Peyton did to you, it was wrong. But you're different. You're Brooke Davis, and you write your own story. Footnotes can be a story of their own, if you write it that way."

"Yeah…" Brooke sighed, looking down at her hands, feeling like she should be honest with him, since he had believed every last word she had said. "But you can't choose who you love."

"You're right about that." Julian took her hands into his. "I believe that you don't love him anymore."

"Julian…" Brooke pulled her hands away from his. "I'm always going to love Lucas. It's inevitable."

"But, you just said…" Julian fell silent as he looked at her.

"Lucas was my first and only love before I met you." Brooke let one tear fall. "You know that all too well. Julian, you of all people should know how I feel. You never really stop loving your first love. It's just a different kind of love you have for them. As I recall, you did come to Tree Hill to move on from your ex girlfriend, your first love."

"Yeah, but I know that I'm in love with you." Julian sat down on the bed.

Brooke sat down next to him. She hated putting him through this. She couldn't even answer herself as to why she was doing this to him. He had been nothing but the best to her since she met him. Julian was always so patient with her. He waited for her and never strayed. Though, here she was, doubting her feelings for him. Why? Because he wasn't Lucas Scott. That's what she loved so much about Julian though. He wasn't Lucas. She watched him put his head in his hands. Not being able to look at him, she looked up and over towards the window. The sun was still shinning and birds were chirping. It sounded so happy outside, and on the inside, it was sad and depressing. Why did she have to make everything so difficult? All she had to do was be honest with herself and Julian and Lucas, and none of this would be an issue. But nothing with Brooke Davis was ever easy. Her stubbornness would never let things be easy.

"How am I supposed to compete with Lucas Scott?" Julian looked up at her, trying his hardest to hold back the tears that dared to fall.

"You're not competing with Lucas." Brooke tried to reassure him, or more so, herself.

"Brooke, seriously?" Julian shook his head at her. "Lucas Scott, star basketball player and a famous author, or soon to be. Once held the heart of Brooke Davis, my fiance, and never returned it back. This long, epic drawn out history of how Lucas and Brooke's relationship came to be and came to end.. The son of Karen Roe, whom Brooke considers a mother to her. The best friend and brother to Brooke's closest friends Nathan and Haley Scott. The Godfather to Jaime Scott, with Brooke as the Godmother. The father, of two amazing children. Now, you tell me how Julian Baker is supposed to compete with Lucas Scott?"

Brooke looked down at the ground. Could Julian have been anymore right? Probably, but Brooke would never admit that to him. She tried to find the right words to say, but she kept falling short. There had to be something she could say or do to make Julian believe that he stood a chance. That there was hope and a possible future for the two of them, including the kids.

"Julian, I love you." Brooke faced him. "It's up to you to decide whether you want to make this work, because I'm in this relationship for the long haul."

"I love you too, Brooke." Julian leaned in and kissed her. "I'm sorry, I just saw this box and got a little insecure about everything."

"Just remember, I said yes to you." Brooke gave him small smile. "I'm going to go pick up Aria from Karen's place."

"Ok." Julian kissed her again. "What about Alan?"

"Haley is supposed to drop him off later today." Brooke answered standing up. "I love you Julian Baker."

"I love you too, Brooke Davis, soon to be Baker." Julian grinned at her and gave her a wink.

Brooke smiled and walked into the bathroom and shut the door. She leaned against the door and sighed, as she left a few tears fall from her eyes. She had just made everything that much more complicated. More complicated then it should be.

**Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter then the rest and sorry for the delay. I really want to update weekly for you guys, but that is going to be a bit difficult, as I'm getting married at the end of August and I have a lot of planning and things to do to get ready for the big day. So bare with me when it comes to updates. I'll try my best to post often, and not let it be too long before another update. I just want to thank all of you guys for reading and reviewing. It really makes a difference to me and I just love getting reviews for you all. **

**On another note. It's looking like Quinn James is going to be our lucky lady. I will be leaving the poll open until I post the next chapter. So if you haven't voted on the girl you'd like to see brought into the store then head over to my profile and vote, or just drop a review and tell me who you want. Also, we are getting closer to the big reveal that you all have been waiting for. So, keep your eyes pealed. **

**I hope you all liked this chapter. Sorry that it's not Brucas, but in a sense it is Brucas. Let me know what you all think!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making yet another preview video for this story! She is truly talented and amazing! I am overly thankful for the hard work and effort she has put in to these videos that she has made for me! I have links posted in my profile. There are FOUR preview videos. **

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: Glad you liked the box, it's a reminder that there is still hope. You get Lucas and Aria in this chapter! _

_Princesakarlita411: Thanks!_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: Thanks! Hope this update wasn't too long of a wait. It's long overdue!_

_Tanya2byour21: Thanks for the congrats! Yes, never loose faith. Why would Brooke keep that box? If there was no hope for them?_

_DanI Oth: Thanks! Pretty soon, she'll have to speak! You'll have to wait and see, you could be right!_

_Guest: It's a bit of both, but one is end game and the other is not._

_Laurenkerry1995: It's a shame Julian doesn't realize that yet. Glad you loved the chapter!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 17**

_Just because you're not talking to each other, that doesn't mean you're both not thinking about each other, and missing each other_

Lucas stared blankly at his computer screen. He had been trying to write for the last hour and a half, and had been unsuccessful. He always loved to write, but lately he had been having problems putting words down. There was no use in denying it, he knew why he couldn't write. He let his muse go, unwillingly. But, it was something that needed to be done. If they were meant to be together, she'd come back to him, eventually. When that day came, if it came, he'd be standing there waiting, waiting with open arms. The thought of maybe making a mistake in this decision crossed his mind from time to time. Especially right now. A sigh escaped his lips as he typed 'Lucas Scott, you are an idiot' on the screen.

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know."

Lucas rolled his eyes as he deleted the text. It had been only a couple of days since he had let Brooke go, and it felt like years. He hadn't seen her, in fact he had been avoiding seeing her. Nathan and Haley had invited him over numerous amounts of times, and yet he refused or declined their invitation once he learned Brooke would be there. It was too hard to be around her. Although, he did manage to still spend some time with the twins. He couldn't stay away from them. They were two young and innocent to realize what was going on between them. Even then so, Lucas found that he couldn't stay away from them. Something inside him was pulling him closer to the twins. Sad to say, he felt a sense closer to the twins, then he did to his own nephew. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he leaned back in his chair, stretching his back and arms. He caught sight of his mother walking towards him in the kitchen.

"Hey ma." Lucas gave her a slight smile.

"Lucas, are you in here dwelling again?" Karen questioned sitting down across from him.

"No, not dwelling." Lucas shrugged. "Just beating myself up over not being able to write."

"Writer's block still?" Karen asked, softly.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Lucas looked back at the blank screen. "I've lost my muse."

"Don't let it be this hard Lucas." Karen placed a hand on his arm. "Stop thinking about what to write, and just write what wants to come out."

"Nothing wants to come out." Lucas sighed in frustration.

"Well, maybe you need a break from it." Karen stated. "Take a step back and do something to take your mind off of writing."

"Like what?" Lucas eyed his mother. "I'd go to the Rivercourt, but that wouldn't help this time."

"Doesn't it always help you think?" Karen tilted her head slightly.

"Yeah, it does." Lucas looked away from his mother. "But I don't want to think too much."

"Well, then you can watch the girls for me." Karen grinned folding her hands together.

"How did I get the feeling you were up to something?" Lucas laughed.

"I don't know, maybe because I'm your mother." Karen stood from her seated position.

"Of course I'll watch the girls." Lucas smiled up at his mother. "Where are you going?"

"An emergency at the Café." Karen grabbed her purse. "One of the waitress called in sick, and apparently everyone in Tree Hill has decided to go to the Café today."

"I could always go for you." Lucas offered.

"No, it's ok." Karen placed her hand on Lucas' shoulder. "The girls are watching a movie in your room, they insisted."

"Let me guess, the bed is so comfortable." Lucas chuckled, knowing his sister and Aria all too well.

"How'd you ever know." Karen smirked as she kissed Lucas on the cheek and made her way out the door.

Karen looked behind her through the window and saw Lucas look back at the screen. A sad smile crossed her face. She knew the real reason her son couldn't write. It broke her heart to see him so down and upset. It was only a matter of time before things started to get better for him. She just wished it was sooner rather then later. Shaking her head, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed the number she knew all too well. As the other end of the line rang, she couldn't help but feel like she was doing something wrong. It may be a set up, but she knew that Lucas would need this.

"Hello?"

"Haley, Hi Sweetheart!" Karen said into the phone. "I just left the house, I'll be at yours in a short while."

"Lucas is watching the girls?" Haley asked.

"Yeah, he is." Karen made her way to the car. "Haley, you do know he won't be happy about this."

"Yeah, I know." Haley laughed nervously. "But it needs to be done! Those two can't keep avoiding each other."

"I know." Karen started the engine to the car.

"Karen, it's for the best." Haley reassured her. "Brooke will be at your place to pick Aria up, and they'll have no choice but to talk."

"I guess so." Karen sighed. "We'll talk when I get to your place."

"Ok, see you soon." Haley spoke as she hung up the phone.

XoX

_Don't mix bad words with your bad mood. You'll have many opportunities to change a mood, but you'll never get the opportunity to replace the words you spoke, as tomorrow is never promised._

Lucas had been staring at the screen for another half hour before finally closing his laptop. He felt like the blank screen was laughing at him, and it was beginning to drive him crazy. Raising his arms up and to the back of his neck, he leaned back in the chair. His eyes slowly shut for a moment. In that moment, a puzzled look crossed his face. The house was extremely quiet. A bit, too quiet. Furrowing his eyebrows, he opened his eyes and looked around. He stood up and walked towards his bedroom. He could hear the music, which sounded like the end credits of the movie. He stood at the entrance of the room and noticed the credits rolling up the screen, and his bed empty. He scratched the back of his neck as he looked around. A soft set of giggles became known, as he looked over at the closet. He stepped further into his room, and closer to the closet. A soft smile appeared on his face as he saw four little feet sticking out of the closet door.

"What are you two girls doing?" Lucas said loudly and deeply to scare them.

"AHHH!" Lily and Aria screamed at the sound of Lucas' voice.

"Doing something that you shouldn't be doing?" Lucas crossed his arms over his chest.

"No way!" The girls said at the same time, devious smiles present on their faces as they climbed out of the closet and stood up with their arms behind their backs.

"Then what are you doing in my closet?" Lucas questioned.

"Looking for treasure!" Aria beamed up at Lucas.

"Yeah, like they were in the movie!" Lily grinned as well.

"Did you find any treasure?" Lucas laughed at the two four year olds.

"Sure did!" Aria said removing her hands from behind her back and holding up a picture.

"What do you have there?" Lucas asked taking the photo from Aria.

"Why do you have a picture of my Mommy in your closet?" Aria asked sweetly.

"Yeah, why are you trying to eat Aunt Brooke's face?" Lily asked crossing her arms.

Lucas looked down at the picture. A sad smile appeared on his face, as he stopped laughing at what Lily had said. The picture was one of many that was taken back in high school. They had been sitting next to each other, and he was trying to give Brooke puppy kisses. Her open mouthed smile warmed his heart, as she placed her hand over his mouth to prevent him from attacking her face with his tongue. The memory brought back a million memories as he stared at the picture. He momentarily forgot that the girls were standing there staring at him and waiting for an answer.

"I bet my brother was in love with your mommy!" Lily put her hands on her hips.

"No, my mommy loves my daddy!" Aria copied Lily's physical actions.

"You can love more then one person!" Lily said in a matter of fact tone. "Just like my mommy loves my daddy in heaven, but she also loves my step daddy."

"I guess your right." Aria nodded agreeing with her cousin. "Lucas, did you love my mommy?"

Lucas stared at the girls, wondering how on earth they became so smart. He had become speechless and had no idea what he should tell the girls. Especially Aria. Lucas had no idea what Brooke had told the twins about their past history. He didn't want to tell Aria something that Brooke didn't want her to know. His eyes traveled back down to the picture in his hand. A soft smile tugged at his lips at the happier times the photo reminded him of. Kneeling down to the girls' heights, he looked at them and smiled.

"Brooke and I, we've always been really good friends." Lucas said, thinking of a way to explain to them, without giving too much information.

"Like best friends?" Lily asked looking at her brother.

"That kiss?" Aria questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"There was no kissing." Lucas laughed nervously.

"Then why does mommy have pictures of you and her in her closet." Aria asked innocently. "And you guys are kissing!"

"Well, um…" Lucas didn't know what to say.

His heart raced at the thought of Brooke having pictures of them still. He had assumed she'd have burned all of their pictures and everything that reminded her of him. Especially after how badly he had hurt her. He wouldn't have blamed her if she had. But she hadn't. At least from what little Aria was saying. Could he really believe a little four year old? Obviously he could, since she and his sister were digging through his own closet. If this was true, that gave him the slightest hope that there was a chance for them to reconcile. Before he could get bombarded with more questions about himself and Brooke, there was a knock on the door. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. Saved by the knock on the door, he rose from his kneeling position. A smile formed as he walked out of his room and to the front door. Opening the door, his smile fell. There she stood, right in front of him. It wasn't like she was the last person he thought would be on the other side of the door, but he didn't think she'd be her so soon. Brooke stood there, looking around awkwardly, avoiding his eye contact. Things were still very awkward, from the last time they had spoke. Lucas stepped aside, so Brooke could make her way inside. Once inside, he shut the door behind her.

"Where's Karen?" Brooke asked looking around the living room.

"She had to run to the Café'." Lucas answered running a hand through his short hair.

"Oh, ok." Brooke nodded. "Where is Aria?"

"She's in my room with Lily." Lucas spoke. "They were supposed to be watching a movie."

"They weren't watching it?" Brooke questioned walking towards his room.

"Well, they did." Lucas said. "But they decided to go snooping through my closet."

"Really?" Brooke stopped and looked at Lucas for the first time since she had gotten there.

"Yeah…" Lucas nodded. "I think we should talk before you go in there."

"What's left to talk about?" Brooke eyed the blonde in front of her.

"Can we sit down?" Lucas motioned to the sofa.

"Luke, what's going on?" Brooke asked confused, taking a seat.

"The girls found a picture." Lucas looked down at his hands.

"Ok…" Brooke was more puzzled then before.

"The picture was of us." Lucas looked back up at her from where he sat.

"Oh…" Brooke sighed. "I'm sure they asked about it."

"Yeah, I told them we were really good friends." Lucas swallowed. "I didn't know what you had told them, if not anything."

"I haven't told them anything really." Brooke shrugged. "Other then that we are friends."

"Well, you might have to explain more."

"More?"

"Yeah."

"What do you mean?"

"I guess Aria found a picture of us in your closet." Lucas replied, looking into Brooke's hazel eyes. "A picture of us kissing."

"Shut up!" Brooke spoke, shocked at what Lucas had just told her.

Before Lucas could answer, Lily and Aria made their way into the living room. Both girls ran over to Brooke and wrapped their tiny arms around her. Brooke in return, did the same. Hugging both girls tightly. When the girls finally pulled out of the hug, they held four pictures out to Brooke. Two from each girl. Brooke tilted her head slightly, as she took the photos from the girls. Her heart melted and broke all at the same time as she looked at the memories. The first one was of them cuddled up together on the arm chair at Rachel's parents cabin. Lucas' arms were tightly wrapped around Brooke's body as she snuggled up towards his chest. The blanket draped over them hid their hands that were holding each other. Content smiles were on their faces as they slept peacefully. It had been shortly after Keith had passed away, and everyone needed a break from the real world. That night had brought Lucas and Brooke closer together. Brooke licked her lips as she looked at the next picture. It was of them at a small bonfire that the group of friends had. Brooke had been running around snapping pictures of everyone. She had ran up to Lucas, and held the camera away from them at an arms' length. She was looking up at the camera as she placed her face close to Lucas'. Their faces just barely touched. A big, bright smile formed on her lips, as she posed for the camera. Right before she snapped the picture, Lucas turned his face and planted a kiss on her cheek. After the picture was taken, she remembered him telling her that he loved her. Brooke swallowed the lump that formed in the back of her throat as she remembered the moment. Her and Lucas used to have some pretty good times. Biting her bottom lip, she moved to the third picture. The picture was of her and Lucas' faces so close to one another. Their lips just mere inches. Their eyes locked on one another. Both of their hearts beating wildly. It was as if they were the only two in the world. They had been talking about something, and they were just about to kiss when the picture was taken. Fighting back the urge to let a tear fall, she moved to the last picture. A picture that brought back so many different emotions. It was of them on the night of Nathan and Haley's wedding. Lucas and Brooke had been slow dancing together. In that mere moment, Brooke had leaned up and kissed Lucas. Their kiss was softly and meaningful. It was also the last kiss they'd share as a couple. Seeing this picture brought back so many memories that she hated to remember. Clearing her throat, she put the pictures in a stacked form and hand them to Lucas. He took them and looked down at them. If things hadn't been more awkward, they were now.

"Lucas, you liar!" Lily and Aria said at the same time. "You said no kissing!"

"Heh, did I?" Lucas looked over at Brooke for help.

"Aria, Lily." Brooke patted her lap, as each girl climbed up and sat on each one of her knees. "Lucas and I used to be in love, a long, long time ago."

"You loved my brother!?" Lily asked, her little mouth forming an o shape.

"Yes, I loved your brother." Brooke couldn't help but smile.

"But Mommy, you loved daddy a long time ago!" Aria said confused. "You said so."

"Sweetheart, when you get older, you'll love more then one person too." Brooke spoke softly. "It's called dating."

"Dating is like what Aunt Bevin and Uncle Skillz do?" Lily asked looking up at Brooke.

"Exactly." Brooke smiled at Lily. "A boy and a girl date each other to see if they want to be together forever. Sometimes, things don't work out and they stop dating. When that happens, you move on to the next person, but only when you're ready to do so."

"So you and Lucas don't work?" Aria asked looking over at Lucas, who looked heart broken, but amazed at how Brooke was handling the situation.

"No, Lucas and I didn't work." Brooke forced a smile.

"Why not?" Lily questioned. "That would have been so cool!"

"Yeah!" Aria said excitedly. "Lucas is awesome!"

"Well…" Brooke looked over at Lucas, who was also waiting for her response. "Lucas and I, we were far too different to make things work out."

"How so?" The girls asked intrigued.

"Lucas liked things like art and books." Brooke started. "I liked shopping and parties. We liked different music."

"But Lucas still likes that stuff!" Lily stated with confusion. "And you two get along now."

"You do too Mommy!" Aria agreed. "We go shopping together!"

"When you're younger, sometimes those differences can make a big difference." Brooke said wrapping her arms around the two girls.

"So people that date keep things like that?" Aria asked pointing to the pictures in Lucas' hand.

"Yeah, they do." Brooke smiled, feeling like she had finally ended the conversation. "It's so they can always remember the good times they had."

"Then why doesn't Lucas have pictures of Peyton in his closet?" Lily asked, then turned to look at Lucas.

"Um…" Brooke wasn't ready for that question, nor did she know how to answer that question.

"Lily, I don't keep pictures or things of Peyton because I didn't love Peyton the way a couple should love each other." Lucas tried to explain. "I love Peyton, like I love you."

"Like a sister?" Lily questioned. "But you guys kissed."

"When you're older you'll understand better." Lucas smiled and patted Lily's head.

"So, you keep things of people you love who you want to be with forever?" Aria asked putting everything together.

"In a way, yes." Brooke smiled at her daughter.

"So, does that mean you still love Lucas?" Aria questioned looking up at her mother.

Brooke looked over at Lucas, who was staring at her. He obviously wanted to know the answer to the question as well. Her heart raced at the thought of telling her daughter that she loved Lucas. The fact that she was having this conversation with her four year old daughter and niece still blew her away. They were too smart for their own good. A soft smile appeared on her face as she looked between the two girls. When her eyes fell on Aria, she couldn't help but see Lucas when she looked at her daughter. So inquisitive and smart. Just like her father.

"Yes, I still love Lucas." Brooke spoke softly. "I will always love him, but in a friend way. I love Lucas, like I love Nathan and Haley."

"Like family?" Aria questioned.

"Yeah." Brooke avoided the stare she felt from Lucas. "I love your daddy, and we're always going to be a family."

"Can Lucas be apart of our family?" Aria asked with hopeful eyes. "I could call him Uncle Luke!"

"Let's just call him Lucas for now." Brooke swallowed, a bit nervously. "Lucas will always be apart of our family."

"So why can't I call him Uncle Lucas?" Aria asked another question.

"Go get your back pack and we'll talk about it in the car." Brooke said, not wanting to get into this conversation in front of Lucas.

"Ok!" Aria smiled and slid off of Brooke's lap to go get her bag.

"I'll help you!" Lily smiled chasing after Aria.

Once the girls were gone, the awkward tension became noticeable again. Brooke sat there on the sofa, her arm rubbing her other arm up and down in a soothing manor. Her heart was racing, and she couldn't have been more thankful that Lucas couldn't tell. Lucas sat there looking at Brooke. He knew that talking to the girls about this was difficult for her. He could see it behind the forced smiles she was giving. He wanted to talk to her about, but he didn't know how to approach her about it. They used to be so close. They used to be able to talk to one another. He knew this was the chance he was taking when he told Brooke that he wanted to be with her. That he still loved her. Loved her more then life itself. Even if he was waiting for her, he couldn't allow their friendship to be like this. He needed her in his life, whether it be the way he had hoped for, or just friends.

"Brooke…"

"Don't…" Brooke stood up. "Just don't, Luke."

"What?"

"Just stop ok!" Brooke threw her arms in the air. "You can't do this to me! You can't keep trying to pull me back to you. Let me go Lucas."

"Brooke, I did let you go." Lucas stood to face her. "I didn't do anything else."

"God, Luke…" Brooke sighed out in frustration. "It's like you're everywhere, and you won't leave me alone so I can be happy for once. Every time I'm happy, here you come, throwing yourself right back into the middle of my life."

"Brooke…"

"No, I'm done Lucas." Brooke crossed her arms. "You're there this morning, you're here when I come pick up my daughter, Aria asks me about our past. I just want to be able to live without the constant reminder of what used to be, or what could have been!"

"Fine, if that's how you want it!" Lucas said, his feelings getting hurt and his anger covering up the hurt. "Then just leave, and you won't have to see me again."

"I will!" Brooke glared at Lucas.

"You know, I don't know why I thought we even stood a chance at having any form of relationship." Lucas rolled his eyes. "It's always about you! Brooke, Brooke Brooke!"

"Whatever Lucas!" Brooke turned her back to him. "Things would have been amazing if you hadn't come back."

"If you don't like that I'm back, then why don't you just leave Tree Hill again?" Lucas spat. "It seems like that's the only thing you know how to do, run from your problems!"

"You're such an ass!" Brooke spoke, anger clear in her voice. "I'd be happy if we didn't speak ever again!"

"I'd be happier if we never saw each other again." Lucas retaliated. "You've ruined my life, and I hate you for that."

Both fell silent, as the anger in the room overtook the presence. They both had said things they didn't mean, but neither could bring themselves to admit they were wrong. The fact that they both were hard headed and stubborn. They had ended their little fight just in time, as Lily and Aria had both came back into the room. Brooke plastered a smile on her face as she hugged Lily goodbye. Aria ran over to Lucas and gave him a giant hug. Lucas held the little girl, tighter then normal. Afraid to let her go, as he really didn't want this to be the last time he saw Aria, or Alan for that matter. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat as Aria pulled out of the hug and walked over to Brooke. She took hold of Brooke's hand and the duo walked out of the door. Lucas walked over to the door and watched as Brooke loaded Aria into the car. Before Brooke got into the driver seat, her eyes fell on Lucas for a spilt second. Shaking her head, she got in the car and drove off.

XoX

_Sometimes two people have to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together_

Brooke stopped the car at a red light. She looked in the rearview mirror to check on her daughter. She smiled, as she watched Aria bob her head to the music and dance around in her seat. Times like this she was thankful to have children, as they made everything better. No matter how horrible of a situation was, her babies always made her smile and believe that things got better. Looking around the area, she tried not to think about the argument she and Lucas had just had. She knew she was wrong in arguing with him, and she knew it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help herself. The morning she had, had to do with her relationship with Lucas. Then to come and pick Aria up from Lucas, and then lastly to have her daughter and niece question her about her past history with Lucas. It was too much for her to handle, and it was starting to kill her. All of this lying was tearing her apart. If she had just told everyone the truth, things wouldn't be so difficult right now. Why hadn't she just done that in the first place? She knew why, and it was because she was being selfish. There was no other way to say it. Her being so selfish was weighing down on her and making her feel extremely guilty for not telling Lucas about the twins, and not telling the twins about who their real father was. The twins knew that Julian wasn't their real father. Brooke and Julian had explained that to them. Julian was the only father figure the twins knew. But now, now Brooke could see the connection that Lucas and the twins had together. The twins were drawn to Lucas. Always wanted to be around Lucas and vice verse.

Letting out a long sigh, Brooke realized how stupid and idiotic she had been acting. Here, Lucas had been back for about six months and her kids had fallen in love with Lucas. Their real father. Plus, here Lucas was, pouring his heart out to her, telling her that he loves her and wants to be with her. He's been there the whole time, and she kept pushing him away, fearing he'd hurt her again. Maybe Lucas did want to be with her. Maybe he wouldn't hurt her again. After all, he's still here, even after everything that they have been through. Brooke looked back up at the mirror to look at Aria happily singing along to the song. In that moment, Brooke knew she couldn't continue to be selfish and if she was being honest with herself, she knew that she wanted to be with Lucas, just as much as she knew he wanted to be with her. A couple tears fell down her face as she smiled. Even after the harsh words Lucas had said to her, she knew he didn't mean them. Making up her mind, she turned on her blinker to turn the car around. She was going to go tell Lucas everything. Tell him the truth. Brooke was going to tell Lucas that he was a father, that she loved him, and that she wanted to be with him.

The light turned green and she slowly stepped on the gas. The car moved forward and she went to make her turn. The sound of a car honking caught her attention. She looked behind her at the car waving franticly at her. Confusion etched on her face as she heard Aria's scream in the back. She turned to look at her daughter, who was screaming and pointing out the window. Brooke turned her head to look out the window and saw a truck coming full force at them in the middle of the intersection. As if in slow motion, Brooke felt her body jolt to the side of the car. Glass shattered everywhere inside of the car. The sound of metal crunching together over powered Aria's screams. The smell of burned rubber became evident as the car flipped over. Brooke instinctively tried to reach back to her daughter, and was able to grab Aria's hand before she hit her head on the steering wheel, and everything went black.

**That's it for this chapter. I hope you all liked it, not necessarily what happened. So, what did you all think? Review and let me know! **

**As for the poll, which is now closed. The poll results show that the majority of you want to see Quinn James as the character to come in. She won't be in the story for another couple of chapters, but be on the look out for her. She's going to shake things up a bit more then you think and a bit more then things already have been. Thanks for voting!**

**Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought of the chapter and what you want to see next or what you hope to see happen next.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making yet another preview video for this story! She is truly talented and amazing! I am overly thankful for the hard work and effort she has put in to these videos that she has made for me! I have links posted in my profile. There are FOUR preview videos. **

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: Here is the next chapter do you!_

_Princesakarlita411: Maybe, Maybe not! Anything is possible_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: Thanks for the review! There are better days to come_

_Tanya2byour21: You very well could be in my head with your thoughts that you mention. You'll have to wait and see what happens with your ideas. We very well could be on the same mind track! _

_Miakeila: I love writing the little ones! They always have to be cute and funny! Yes you are right, but his guilt could be conflicted with other emotions. Anything is possible. You'll have to wait and see! Thanks for the review!_

_Guest: I'm glad it's one of your favorites!_

_Guest: Here is the next chapter, hope you like it!_

_Laurenkerry1995: Things will be picking up! Here's the next chapter, hope you like it!_

_Shaye21: Thanks for the review!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 18**

_Everything is going to be alright, maybe not today, but eventually._

Julian, Rachel, Nathan, Haley, Karen, Jamie, and Alan had all been waiting in the waiting room of the surgery department to the hospital. It had been nearly two hours since they had all arrived, and they had heard nothing of Brooke or Aria's condition. Alan and Jamie had fallen asleep on two of the little bench seats. Haley sat motionless in her seat, while Nathan had his arm wrapped around her, trying to soothe her. Rachel unable to believe that the situation at hand was actually happening, kept asking the nurses if they could tell her anything. Julian was a nervous wreck, and kept pacing back and forth, as their pervious argument from the morning continued to run through his mind, even though they had made up. Karen nervously and worriedly sat by the two sleeping boys. She kept an eye on them while she tried to reach Lucas. Nathan and Karen were constantly trying to call Lucas, but his phone was going straight to voice mail. They tried the house phone, but it just kept ringing. The machine had been shut off. No one dared to leave the hospital, as they didn't want to leave and then receive news about Brooke or Aria.

"I don't understand why Luke won't answer his phone." Nate spoke softly. "Or the house phone for that matter."

"It's so unlike him." Karen looked down at her cell phone, willing it to ring. "Maybe something happened to him?"

"Karen, I'm sure nothing happened to Lucas." Nathan looked over at the older woman. "He's just being stubborn."

"Maybe…" Karen looked over at the two sleeping boys. "I hope the girls are alright."

"I do too!" Rachel came and sat down on the side next to a sleeping Alan. "I can't believe we haven't heard anything!"

"These things take time." Julian said pacing. "They have to figure out the issue, then prep them for surgery, then set the room up and then…"

"Just shut up!" Haley snapped, standing up from her seat. "Everything is going to be fine. Brooke is a fighter, and has never let anything beat her. This will not be the first time. Aria is Brooke's daughter, so she's a fighter too!"

"Hales!?" Nathan stood up, moving towards her.

"Don't!" Haley put her hands up, pushing Nathan away from her. "Brooke's fine, she's back there obsessing over how ugly the hospital gowns are! Aria is back there, sitting next to her giggling her heart out!"

"Haley, we can't know that for sure." Rachel breathed out, feeling Haley's rage.

"None of you get it!" Haley shook her head, and embraced herself. "Where were you Rachel? You've been gone for two years, and you barely spoke to Brooke! Where were you when she needed help with the twins? Where were you when she and Julian were having a fight, and she needed someone to calm her down? You weren't there, I was!"

"Haley, that's a bit uncalled for!" Julian stopped his pacing, and walked over towards Rachel who was shocked at Haley's rant.

"Really now Julian?" Haley glared at the lean, dark haired man. "What would you know? Who is the first person she tells her exciting news to? Me! Who does she cry to first? Me! You're not her best friend, although you should be since you two are supposed to be getting married. You tell your best friend everything! I'm her best friend, and I always will be. I know things about her, that you could only dream of knowing! Yeah, you may be with her, but we all know where her heart truly lies, and as much as you want to believe it is you, it's not you!"

"Haley, why don't we go get some fresh air?" Karen stood up, extending her hand to Haley, understanding how upset the situation was making her.

"I don't need fresh air!" Haley shouted quietly. "I'm disappointed in you Karen. You of all people I thought would be more upset and worried. But you've barely showed any emotion. For God's sake, Brooke is like a daughter to you, and all you can think to say is, I hope she's ok."

"Haley, Stop it!" Nathan said firmly, pulling her gently away from the group. "You are not the only one upset here. Everyone deals with it differently. Now, let's go take a walk."

"Get you're hands off of me!" Haley yanked her arm away from Nathan. "I'm ok, I don't need a walk! I just want to be alone!"

"Haley, Brooke's going to be ok." Nathan tried to reassure his wife, as he reached out to her.

"I want to be alone!" Haley spoke stepping away from Nate. "What don't you get about that?"

After speaking her last words, she looked at everyone with a look of disgust, and she shook her head, rolled her eyes and walked out of the waiting room. Everyone looked around at each other in disbelief, not knowing what to say or do. Nathan went back to his original seat and sat down. He knew this was difficult for Haley, and he knew that the two women were extremely close, practically inseparable, but never had he thought she would act like this. He figured it be best to let her go, and cool down. Once Haley knew for sure that Brooke and Aria would be ok, he knew she'd be better. The question of Brooke and Aria not being ok, lingered in the back of his mind though. It was something he didn't want to think about, but being logical, it was something he couldn't avoid thinking about.

Rachel sat there, looking down at Alan, who slept peacefully. Her heart broke as she watched the little boy sleep. Everything Haley had said, was true. Rachel had been out of Brooke and the kids' life for about two years and hardly spoke to them. Brooke, Rachel and Julian had all lived in the same apartment when they were in New York. They had a blast, and everything worked out perfectly. Until Brooke realized that raising two kids in the city was something she didn't want. Brooke had wanted to raise her kids in a small town, where they could have a better time. When Brooke asked Rachel to move back to Tree Hill with Julian, the twins and herself, Rachel declined. The fiery red head wasn't ready to come back to Tree Hill. She still had a lot of things she wanted to do. So after the twins were two years old, Brooke and Julian made the move, leaving Rachel by herself in New York. They spoke everyday for the first two weeks, then they slowly stopped talking. Rachel tried to get in touch with Brooke, but with Rachel's busy schedule, it made it difficult. Rachel now felt extremely guilty for not being a part of Brooke and the twins' life for those two years. When she thought about it, Haley was Brooke's best friend, and no matter how hard Rachel tried to be a best friend to Brooke, their friendship would never be as strong as Brooke and Haley's. Even when Brooke went to New York, Haley and Brooke talked everyday over the phone or webcam. They never missed a day, for the two years, until Brooke moved back to Tree Hill. Sitting here, waiting for news about Brooke and Aria, made Rachel realize just how much she missed the two girls.

Karen looked down absentmindedly at the ground, feeling a large sense of guilt from Haley's words. Karen loved Brooke as if she was her own daughter and Aria as her own granddaughter. They had always had such a strong connection. The fact that she wasn't doing more to find things out about Brooke and Aria was killing her. She knew if it was Lucas in the hospital, she'd be talking off the nurse's ears and trying to get in the back. She'd be cry uncontrollably. Karen looked up and over at Julian, who sat there, deep in thought. Deep down in her heart, she had hoped Brooke would end up with Lucas. Even back in high school, she felt like the two kids had something special. She couldn't force her son to be with Brooke though. It was something Lucas needed to figure out for himself. But the possibility of the two getting back together ran through her mind, especially after hearing what Haley said to Julian. Could there be a possibility that Haley was referring to Lucas?

Julian took a deep breathe as he thought about Brooke and Aria. Something in the pit of his stomach was making him sick, and he didn't know if he could keep it from rising to his throat. What Haley said rang through his head. He had already had the fear of Brooke and Lucas possibly rekindling an old flame, but he pushed that aside after their argument this morning. But Haley knew things he didn't. Had Brooke mentioned to Haley that she was still into Lucas? Everything seemed to be telling Julian to get out of the relationship before he got hurt. That was a bit difficult, as he is madly in love with Brooke. But the odds were stacking up against him, and with every new day, a new odd was added to the stack. Brooke and Lucas have a romantic past, they share the same best friend and friends, Lucas' mom is like a mom to Brooke, the two share two beautiful children together. Julian was beginning to wonder where he fit in to this picture. He wasn't ready to give up on his and Brooke's relationship just yet. There was still something there to fight for. After all, she had said yes to marrying him.

Roughly an hour later, Haley made her way back to the waiting room. She noticed everyone sitting rather closely together, and she walked over to an empty corner to sit by herself. Usually in these kinds of situations, she was the level headed one, keeping everyone else calm, but this time was different. It was Brooke and Aria in the hospital. Her Brooke and her Aria. The guilt of the possibility that Lucas and Brooke had argued before Brooke left the house from picking Aria up ran through her veins. Karen had told her it wasn't a good idea, and yet Haley insisted it must be done. Her heart raced as the thoughts of Brooke and Aria not being ok crossed her mind. What would she do if they didn't make it? Who would she confide in? Who would be her shopping buddy? Who would she go to when she needed advice or girl talk? Tears began to form in her eyes, as they became cloudy. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and noticed a doctor making his way into the waiting area.

"Is there anyone here for Brooke and Aria Davis?" The doctor questioned.

"We are!" Julian quickly stood up motioning to the group of people. "How are they?"

"Is everything ok?" Rachel added in quickly.

"I'm Dr. Burns, and we are doing the best that we can right now for the two of them." Dr. Burns spoke. "They are both currently undergoing surgery."

"It's been three hours though?" Karen piped in. "We need to know something!"

"The impact of the car caused severe cuts and bruises to Brooke." Burns replied. "It also broke her arm in three places. My team has to go in and put her arm back into place."

"That's not so bad." Nathan breathed out heavily.

"Brooke also received quiet a few blows to the head." The doctor said, looking at his chart. "But we won't be able to further investigate until after surgery."

"What about Aria?" Julian asked, as he noticed Haley listening to everything, but not speaking.

"We ran into a complication." Dr. Burns said sadly.

"What do you mean complication?" Haley blurted out, cutting everyone off.

"Well, the accident caused Aria to suffer from internal bleeding." Dr. Burns quickly said, his eyes looking at Julian and Nathan. "She's lost a lot of blood, and she's going to need a blood transfusion."

"Ok, well just give her the blood transfusion." Haley spoke to the doctor like he was an idiot for not doing it in the first place.

"According to her chart, she has a very, very rare blood type." The doctor read off of the chart. "A type that we currently don't have in our hospital at the moment."

"What happens if she doesn't get it?" Rachel asked nervously.

"She could die." Dr. Burns looked over at Julian who was inching away from the group ever so slowly.

"Then test my blood!" Haley stuck her arm out to the doctor. "Test all of our blood, we could be matches."

"We could do that…" The doctor eyed Julian still. "But it'd just be easier, if Aria's father donated the blood. The blood type Aria has, is linked to her father. They share the same blood type."

"Julian!" Haley shouted. "Stop playing games and give your blood to your daughter."

Julian swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. This was not how he wanted this to come out and he knew Brooke didn't want it to come out this way either. When the doctor said that Aria had lost a lot of blood, he knew what was coming. That's why he started to back away from everyone. He thought he could make a quick exit, but he failed. When the twins were first born, and had their tests done to make sure they were all healthy, the doctor had done a blood type test as well. Being that the twins had such rare blood, the doctor made it specially known to Brooke and Julian, that in any case the twins needed blood, that their father was a direct match. Never in a million years, had Brooke or Julian thought that this would happen. Julian just stared at Haley and then at Nathan and Karen. His heart raced, as he realized he was wasting time. He put his hands up in the air, and backed out of the waiting room. He quickly left the hospital, to save the little girl he loved so dearly life.

"What the hell is he doing?" Haley screamed, tossing her hands in the air. "Some father he is!"

"Haley, give Julian a break!" Rachel scowled at her. "There's more to it then you know."

"Now's not the time to fight ladies." The doctor stepped in. "I'll just have to have you all tested, in hopes that one of you is a match."

"That's fine with me." Nathan agreed, as he looked over at Rachel, who was looking around nervously. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Rachel lied. "Just nervous and worried is all. I'll watch the kids while you all get tested."

"Alright, you all, please follow me." The doctor said leading the way out of the hospital.

Rachel watched as the group disappeared from the room. After a couple minutes, she stood from her seat by the still two sleeping boys and made her way to the nurses' station. When the nurse greeted her and asked what she could do for her, Rachel merely smiled at the older woman in scrubs. She wasn't sure exactly what Julian was going to do, but she had faith that he was doing the right thing.

"Aria Davis." Rachel said softly. "Her father should be here shortly to donate his blood."

XoX

_It's amazing how one little conversation can change things, forever_

Lucas made his way out to the porch and over to the swing. He sat down, and slowly started rocking back and forth. The fresh air was making him feel a bit better. He was feeling horrible about his fight with Brooke and he knew he said some things he shouldn't have. The fact that he said such hurtful words to Brooke was eating him up inside. His eyes traveled down to his cell phone which was turned off. He had shut his phone off, due to the high volume of calls he was receiving from Nathan and his mother. He had a gut feeling they were calling to yell at him for being such an ass to Brooke. Lucas had also turned the answering machine off and shut off the ringer, as the house phone was ringing off the hook as well. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He was a bit thankful that Lily had managed to fall asleep shortly after Brooke and Aria had left. This made it easier for him to think about things. His heart was telling him to stop being dumb and call her and tell her how sorry he was, but his mind was telling him to stand his ground and not cave in. Lucas sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. He shut his eyes for a moment, letting his thoughts run wild. What had gotten into him? Maybe it was the fact that he was chasing after something he knew he couldn't possibly have. He had screwed up one too many times with Brooke in the past, that he knew he couldn't possibly ever have another chance with her. He blew the two chances he had with her. He also blew the last possible opportunity he had to be with her as well. He had lost her. Not completely, but in the romantic way. He's always cherish their friendship, but it was going to kill him to be so close to her and not be able to be with her.

The sound of the screen door opening caught Lucas' attention and he opened his eyes. He looked over at the door and saw Lily walking over to him. He smiled softly at her as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She climbed up on the swing, sitting next to her brother. They sat there for a moment, rocking back and forth quietly. After a few moments, and Lily was alert and awake, she looked up at Lucas. She smiled up at him. Her smile slowly faded as she noticed her brother's smile, but the sad look in his eyes. Being the smart little girl that she is, she placed two and two together.

"You have a nice nap?" Lucas asked, looking down at Lily.

"Uh huh." Lily nodded her head. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." Lucas smiled, not telling her the truth, not wanting to burden his 4 year old sister with his problems.

"You're lying." Lily smirks folding her arms over her chest. "I can see it in your eyes."

"So you think you know everything now huh?" Lucas ruffled her hair. "Tell me what you think is wrong with me then."

"You still love Aunt Brooke." Lily raised her eye brows and shrugged her shoulders.

"How do you know that?" Lucas asked, shocked that his younger sister had caught on so quickly.

"You're my big brother!" Lily says rolling her eyes. "I just know these kinds of things. You look at Aunt Brooke the way mommy looks at Andy and the way Aunt Haley looks at Uncle Nathan."

"You see that?" Lucas questioned, looking out towards the street.

"Yeah, I see it." Lily nodded. "I also heard you talking to mom."

"You little eavesdropper." Lucas laughed, as he began to tickle Lily.

The two shared in a sweet brother and sister moment, before a car pulled up to the side of the house. He stopped tickling Lily and looked over at the car. It looked familiar, but he couldn't place his finger on who it was just yet. It registered in his mind when Lily spoke up and said it was Julian. He looked down at Lily who waved at Julian excitedly. The young girl seemed to be searching for someone, most likely her Aunt Brooke. Lucas looked away from his baby sister and up toward Julian, who was making his way to the porch. The look on Julian's face told Lucas that he was serious about something. He gently scooted Lily off of the swing, and motioned her to go inside. Lily pouted slightly, but did as she was told. Once the blonde little girl was inside, Lucas immediately rose to his feet, standing face to face with Julian. He had a feeling that Julian was here to defend Brooke's honor, and Lucas was ready for a fight. That is if it lead to that.

"What are you doing here?" Lucas glared at the tall brunette man.

Julian shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked down at his feet. Lucas waited impatiently for Julian to speak or do something. As a couple minutes passed with them just standing there, Lucas became frustrated. He had better things to do with his day then to stand around, and have Julian stare at his shoes. If Julian was there to put Lucas in his place, he sure wasn't doing a very good job. A slight smirk appeared on Lucas' face as he thought about how dumb Julian looked right now. The blonde man crossed his arms over his chest and looked up right at Julian. Lucas cleared his throat, which caused Julian to look up at him. Their eyes met, and Lucas saw something in his eyes that he wasn't expecting. He saw pain, hurt, sorrow and sadness. Something in the pit of his stomach told him that Julian obviously wasn't here to argue or fight. Something was wrong.

"What I'm about to tell you…" Julian breathed in deeply. "Is going to change your life forever…"

"Huh?" Lucas mumbled out, confused by Julian's words.

"There's been an accident…" Julian barely got out, before Lucas cut in.

"What do you mean accident?" Lucas asked, worry becoming evident on his face. "What happened?"

"Brooke and Aria were in a car accident." Julian swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "Everyone is at the hospital right now. They've been trying to reach you."

"Are the ok?" Lucas questioned, feeling sick to his stomach as he pulled out his phone.

"They are in surgery right now." Julian explained. "Brooke is pretty beat up and has a broken arm and possibly head trauma. They won't know how bad it is until she wakes up from surgery. Aria is in really bad shape Lucas."

"How bad is it?" Lucas questioned, guilt running through his entire body.

"It's really bad." Julian held back the tears that dared to fall. "Lucas, Aria has a very rare blood type. A type so rare that the hospital doesn't have any on hand, and near by hospitals don't have it either. If they can't find a proper donor, she could die. The doctor says that they can test people to see if they have the right blood type, but that could take a while, and they don't have time to wait. Aria's blood type is shared with her father. Somehow the father's blood balances out Aria's blood type."

"Ok, then what the hell are you doing here?" Lucas asked, looking at him like he was a total idiot for even leaving the hospital to just come tell him this. "You should be giving your blood to save her life!"

"Lucas, Aria needs her father…" Julian looked directly in Lucas' blue eyes. "Aria needs you, Lucas."

**That's it for this chapter. Lucas finally knows about the twins! I know a lot of you have been dying for this to happen. Well know it's happening. As for the medical conditions, I just made something up to fit in with how I wanted Lucas to find out about the twins being his. **

**Thanks to everyone who reads my story and thanks to everyone who reviews and lets me know their opinion. I hope you all liked this chapter. Let me know what you thought of it and what you want to see, even if it's just a small little scene. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: All the events and character description taken place in this story is COMPLETELY FICTION. No copyright infringement intended. All characters are copy written to their respective owners. No profit is being made from this story. It should be viewed only as entertainment.**

**I want to give a very huge thank you to xtinkxproductionsx for making yet another preview video for this story! She is truly talented and amazing! I am overly thankful for the hard work and effort she has put in to these videos that she has made for me! I have links posted in my profile. There are FOUR preview videos. **

_Thank you to… _

_dianehermans: I know you wanted Brooke to tell Lucas, but with where the story is going, it was best to have Julian tell Lucas in this moment. This chapter has Lucas' reaction, hope it is well worth the wait._

_Princesakarlita411: Yes! Thanks for the review!_

_GoodGirlGoneBad1984: Julian loves Brooke, but he knows what is most important, but he won't give up without a fight. After all, he is in love with Brooke. _

_Tanya2byour21: I had to leave you wanting more! Julian is after all a good guy. That's what makes everything tough. Thanks for the awesome review!_

_Guest: I'm glad you love it! _

_Guest: No one is protected in this situation except for the children. The anger gets prolonged. Thanks for the review!_

_Guest: Here is the next chapter, hope you like it._

_Guest: Here is the next update. Sorry for the delay._

_Guest: Yes, he knows, now for his reaction._

_Miss Pretty Girl: Keep reading to find out, I'll be posting weekly from now on, hopefully._

_DANI OTH: Thanks, and yes it's finally out the bag. I've been waiting for this moment. The main drama will now start to unfold._

_Dbelp03: Here is the next chapter, hope it's well worth the wait._

_LaurenKERRY: How can anyone not love Haley! I have plenty more unexpected things in store for you as well._

_Don't Bash Brooke: Thanks for the review, and I loved your opinion. I agree with you. There won't be bashing on Brooke really, but there will be disappointment. I'm Team Brooke all the way too! _

_Brucasforeva03: Thanks for the review and here is Lucas' reaction that you've been waiting for._

_Maryrizzo11: I'm so glad you like the story and where it's heading. I love the idea of Lucas doing that. Seems just like something he would do. Brooke and Lucas will have their moment. Yes, the kids will be told almost immediately about Lucas. Everyone will have their own reactions to the situation. Brooke won't loose everyone all at once. Even if the reactions are bad, Brooke still has Rachel and Julian who both knew everything already. She won't be alone. As for Lucas getting a love interest, there was a poll and the majority of the readers don't want a love interest for Lucas in this story, BUT Lucas and his feelings will stay busy. As for Peyton, she may or may not make an appearance in a future chapter. Brooke will find out why Lucas went with Peyton in a future chapter. Sorry for the delay in update, but I should be posting weekly now that I'm not as busy. Thanks for the awesome review! Hope to hear from you again!_

_Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! They keep me motivated to update quicker. Thank you for taking the time to let me know what you think! I appreciate them! Also thank you to all of the silent readers as well! Thank you to all of you who have been favorite, following, and alerting this story!_

**Against All Odds**

**Chapter 19**

_Promises made long ago in a secret space of our hearts_

_It was a beautiful Friday night. It was nearing midnight, and the stars shined brightly in the dark night sky. The temperature was just right, not too cold nor too hot. A gentle breeze blew through her long dark locks of hair. She embraced herself as she rubbed her arms up and down as she gazed out at the beach water. The waves crashed over and over again as the current began to rise. Her hazel eyes slowly moved from the water and up towards the starry night sky. She had been in 'her' spot as she liked to call it for a good hour and a half. The area she stood in, was a patch of sand that had giant rocks shielding the area from the public. When she was younger, she had stumbled across this place when she'd leave home when her parents would fight constantly. She found peace and relaxation here. It was a beautiful secluded area, that no one knew about. This was her escape. When she was younger she came here to escape her parents, but now, she'd come here to think and hide away when things got too hard. Tonight was no different. She came here tonight because of him. He was out of town this weekend with his brother. They were visiting their Uncle in California. The boy she was so madly in love with was half way across the country from her and she missed him like crazy. He left only twenty-four hours ago, and yet it felt like he had been gone for months. Missing him wasn't the reason she was here. _

_Earlier that day, she had gone to his house. She had forgotten her cheer pompoms in his room. Once she got there, she found one, but couldn't find the other. She searched the room, and sighed heavily when she couldn't find it. Sitting on his bed, she bounced slightly. A devious grin appeared on her face as she remembered the last time she had the pompoms. The slightest blush swept her cheeks as she remembered that they had role-played the 'team captain and head cheerleader' scenario. Although there was no need to play, as they were actually in those roles. She hurriedly climbed over the bed and looked down between the mattress and headboard. Sure enough, there was her other pompom, but that wasn't the only thing that caught her attention. As she grabbed her pompom, she also grabbed the crinkled piece of paper. She sat back on the bed, and examined the item in her hand. It was a photo of him and her best friend. As she looked at the picture, she was brought back to the moment when this had first happened. Just as she was getting a bit too comfortable with him, something always came up and put her back on her toes. She couldn't help but stare at the picture and be reminded of all the horrible pain she was caused by the two most important people in her life. Taking a deep breath, she fought the urge to call him right then and there. Instead, she placed the picture on his bed, grabbed her pompoms and left his house._

_She thought about the picture the entire day. Why it was there? How long it had been there? Why he still had the picture? She hated that her insecurities came out so easily when it came to her best friend and boyfriend, but if they hadn't broken her heart before, she wouldn't feel this way now. She knew that the two blondes were friends, which was difficult for her at first, but soon was able to cope with it. After seeing this photo, she couldn't help but make up stories in her mind. The biggest one though, was that this trip that her boyfriend was on with his brother was a lie. Her best friend was heading to California as well, but she left after the guys did. Her friends was touring an arts college that had a really awesome music program. The thought of them alone together continued to play in her head. She hated that he could make her feel like this. They had been going strong and they were so happy together, so why would he want to mess it up now? Then the thought occurred to her, that maybe he wasn't happy. She breathed in the cool breeze as she shut her eyes. A single tear was shed, and that's when she felt a presence near her. He spoke her name, and her eyes slowly fluttered open, but not leaving the waves._

"_Brooke?" He said, happiness in his tone. "I figured you'd be here since you weren't at home."_

"_Lucas?" Confusion clear in her voice as she turned to face her boyfriend. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in California?"_

"_I was…" Lucas smiled, closing the space between them. "I missed you too much to stay the entire weekend, so I thought I'd come home early and surprise you."_

"_I'm surprised." Brooke smiled softly, her pervious thoughts vanishing quickly._

"_Pretty Girl, you've been crying?" Lucas placed his thumb on her cheek and wiped away a tear. "What's wrong?"_

"_Oh, yeah…" Brooke took a step back from him as she was reminded of her thoughts._

"_Brooke, talk to me." Lucas stated, as he tried to get closer to her, but with every step he took towards her, she took away from him._

"_Is it happening again?" Brooke asked, looking into his ice blue eyes._

"_Is what happening again?" Lucas questioned confusion etched on his face. _

"_You and Peyton…" Brooke bit her bottom lip. "Are you two sneaking around again behind my back again?"_

"_That's absurd!" Lucas looked at her, his feeling hurt. "What would make you even think that?"_

"_I found a picture of the two of you in your room." Brooke looked down at her feet. "It was hidden between your mattress and headboard."_

"_Were you snooping in my room?" Lucas asked, not realizing that was the wrong answer in this moment._

"_No, I wasn't!" Brooke glared at him. "I came to get my pompoms and I had to search for one of them. The picture was laying with my pompom. But it sounds like you're giving me a reason to go snooping!"_

"_No, if you want to snoop, be my guest." Lucas replied, his hurt feelings beginning to show. "I don't have anything to hide, but it's nice to know you don't trust me."_

"_You are such an ass!" Brooke turned her back on him. "I should have known better then to believe things were actually over between you and Peytwhore!"_

_Lucas stood there, staring at her back. This was not what he wanted to come home to. He didn't want to fight with Brooke, but it seemed that he wouldn't have a choice in this matter. As he looked at her back, he could see her ever so slightly trembling. He knew that tremble, she was crying. Lucas shut his eyes, and thought for a moment. He needed to put himself in her shoes. She had every right to be insecure and nosy and snoopy if she wanted to be. After everything he had put her through, he really couldn't blame her. Yes he was hurt, as he thought their relationship was stronger then this. But Brooke is fragile and vulnerable with her heart. She has been hurt one too many times, by him alone. He took a deep breath and walked up behind her, wrapping his arms securely around her waist. She tried to pry herself out of his arms, but he wouldn't allow her to be free, not yet at least. After a few minutes of Brooke's determination to free herself of him, she finally relaxed and calmed down. Lucas rested his chin on her shoulder, his mouth right next to her ear. _

"_Pretty Girl, I love you." Lucas whispered, only so Brooke could hear. "There is nothing going on between Peyton and I. The picture you found must have been from a long time ago, before you and I. Brooke, I promise you, with all of my heart, there is nothing you need to be worried about. My heart is with you and I need you to believe me when I tell you this. There is no one else I'd rather be with. I came back early from California because I missed you so much. I'm sorry for ever hurting you and I'm sorry for causing you so much pain. It was never my intention to hurt you, but I'll spend every breathing day making it up to you, as long as you'll let me."_

_Brooke stood there in silence, letting Lucas' sweet words sink in. She knew she had over reacted, but he didn't blame her. She believed every word he spoke to her. He was so apologetic and sincere. The tears she was previously shedding had subsided and only dried tear streaks remained on her cheeks. In that moment all of her trust issues and insecurities disappeared. Rethinking the events that happened today and leading up until this very moment, she knew how dumb it all sounded. She felt Lucas' arms loosen around her waist. Instead of leaving his arms, she turned around in them to face him. She stood on her tiptoes and pulled him to her, allowing their lips to crash against one another's. After the short but sweet kiss, she pulled away and looked at Lucas, who stood there still, his eyes shut and lips puckered. A soft giggle escaped her lips at the sight of him. Hearing her giggle, he opened his eyes to see the smile that he loved so much. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she placed her head on his chest._

"_I'm sorry Luke." Brooke spoke quietly. "I just saw the picture and my mind jumped so quickly…"_

"_You have nothing to be sorry for, Pretty Girl." Lucas made her look at him, as he moved a strand of hair from her face. "We're ok, everything is ok."_

"_I love you." Brooke's eyes sparkled up at him._

"_I love you too." Lucas smiled down at her, pulling her in for a kiss. _

"_Luke…" Brooke moaned into his mouth._

"_Hm?" Lucas mumbled between kisses._

"_Make love to me please." Brooke whispered ever so softly. "Right here, right now, in this moment."_

_Lucas stroked her cheek and kissed her lips. Brooke was cut off as Lucas slowly started to move his lips on Brooke's. Their lips moved in time with each other and Lucas raised his hands up to Brooke's hair and tangled his fingers in it. His other hand he pulled up to her face and cupped her cheek in his hand. Brooke raised up his shirt and slowly started to feel Lucas's body. She moved from his lips to his neck thrusting her onto his thighs. Lucas placed his hands on Brooke's lower back slipping one hand down the back of her jeans. She was in a total daze and all she cared about was how good it felt kissing Lucas. Lucas panted through the hard kissing and touching. That did it for Brooke. She peeled off her t-shirt and pressed her chest against Lucas', slowly running her hand over his crotch. Lucas started kissing Brooke's jaw line, he was leaning over her as he did so. He moved from her throat, down to her collar, then kissing her breasts. He touched her body so gently and passionately and Brooke smiled when Lucas gently kissed her stomach. He unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them off, then off came his t-shirt. Brooke sat up and unbuckled Lucas's belt with one hand using the other to run her fingers over his stomach. Lucas then climbed on top of Jane and turned her head to the side, slowly licking her neck. Brooke moaned and smiled at his touch. Brooke began to nudge Lucas' jeans off with her feet as they explored each other's mouths once again. They pulled apart for the slightest moment to remove the last few pieces of clothing that clothed their bodies. Both were thankful that Brooke always brought a blanket with her when she came to the beach. Lucas pulled Brooke to his body as heat radiated off of their naked forms. Kissing her neck again, he gently laid them back down on the blanket. Brooke's hands ran through Lucas' hair as she moaned softly at Lucas' lips on her neck._

"_Lucas, I need you."_

_Hearing her whisper that into his ear drove him crazy. He moved his lips up to hers, kissing them hard with passion. His lips never leaving Brooke's as he reached for his jeans. Brooke moved her lips to his ear and then his neck as Lucas pulled his wallet out of his jeans' pocket. He groaned as she hit his sweet spot behind his ear. He felt himself getting harder by the second. Lucas finally was able to open his wallet, but quickly frowned as he searched through it. He always had one, but the one time he really needed it, it wasn't there._

"_Brooke, you wouldn't happen to have a condom on you?" Lucas muttered out as she continued to suck on his neck._

"_I don't." Brooke said between her butterfly kisses. _

"_We can't…" Lucas rolled his eyes at the sensation Brooke was giving him._

"_It's ok…" Brooke whispered into his ear, which sent shivers down his spine. "I'm on the pill."_

_In that moment, no other words were spoken. Lucas quickly entered Brooke and they were no longer two, but one._

XoX

_You can either focus on what's tearing you apart or what's holding you together_

Lucas stared blankly at Julian, as he came back to reality. Everything was beginning to make sense now. Everything was adding up. He remembered the night that Brooke and himself made love on the beach. The time span from then and the twins' birthday, it was most likely when the twins were conceived. A sudden rush of mixed emotions took over Lucas' body, and before he realized what he was doing, he raised his right hand, balled his hand into a fist and swung at his target. His fist met Julian's right eye in a matter of seconds. Julian quickly grabbed his eye as he stumbled backwards falling on his butt. He looked up at Lucas who was looking down at him and then at his fist, not believing his own strength. Lucas' didn't say a word, but walked inside the house, leaving a puzzled Julian on the ground. He grabbed Lily's jacket, and then grabbed her hand and lead her outside. He hurriedly made their way to his car and loaded Lily in first. Once she was securely in her seat, he climbed into the driver's seat and looked over at Julian. No words needed to be said, as Julian quickly got to his feet and made his way to his car. The two men sped off, breaking every speed limit possible to get to the hospital, to save Aria's life.

The three of them made it to the hospital in record time. They climbed out of their respective cars and made their way inside. Julian leading the way, and Lucas holding onto Lily's hand. It took them a good five minutes to get to the waiting area, where everyone was waiting. Lucas saw everyone gathered around a doctor. His heart raced as his eyes instantly landed on Alan. His heart leapt out of his chest, as he looked at the little boy, whom he just learned was his son. Why hadn't he seen it before? Lily had noticed and tried to point it out, but he didn't believe her. Quickly pushing those thoughts out of his mind, he focused on Aria, the one who needed him most right now. He followed Julian to the group. It didn't take long for Haley to notice Lucas had arrived. Right as Haley was going to say something to Lucas, he spoke first.

"Are you Aria's doctor?" Lucas asked, his face etched with concern.

"Yes, I am." Dr. Burns answered.

"I'm here to give blood to Aria." Lucas replied, ignoring the strange looks from his family.

"We won't be needing your blood sir." Dr. Burns spoke calmly, as he looked at Julian. "It seems her father has finally decided to come back, and we can get him going."

"I'm not…" Julian couldn't finish his sentence.

"I'm Aria's father!" Lucas scowled at the doctor, he wasn't going to beat around the bush with this.

"Well then, right this way." Dr. Burns said, motioning Lucas to follow him.

Haley, Nathan, and Karen all gasped at Lucas' words, but didn't get a chance to even question him. They all turned towards Julian, who was looking towards Rachel for help. The redhead looked over at the three kids, who were engrossed in the card game they had begun playing. Rachel knew this moment was bound to happen, though she wished it didn't happen this way. She cursed Brooke in her head. Leave it to Brooke to some how manage to be out of the picture when Lucas found out about the twins. Rachel moved from her seat and walked over towards Julian. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and looked at the Scott family.

"I know you all are pretty upset and are feeling all sorts of emotions right now." Rachel began. "But right now, it's not the time nor the place. Brooke and Aria need all of us to be their strength right now. Us fighting will not help them recover. So, let's just leave it until we know the condition of the girls. They are both still in surgery."

"You knew too?" Haley questioned Rachel in shock.

"Yes, I knew." Rachel nodded her head. "Julian and I were the only ones that knew."

"Lies!" Haley shouted as she walked up to Rachel and smacked her hard across the face.

"You crazy Bit…" Rachel was unable to finish her sentence as Nate cut in.

"That's enough! Rachel's right." Nathan stepped in, pulling Haley back away from Rachel and Julian. "We shouldn't stress over this right now, not just because Brooke and Aria are in the hospital, but because Brooke and Lucas should be the ones to tell the twins about it."

A silence fell over everyone. The Scott family not knowing how to really feel about the situation, but knew that in the best interest of Brooke and Aria, that they needed to drop the subject for now. At least until they knew the status of the girls' conditions. Julian gave Rachel and thankful yet apologetic look. Rachel smiled weakly at him as she rubbed her cheek, then realized his eye. A dark circular bruise had already formed around Julian's eye. Rachel grabbed Julian's hand and led him towards to cafeteria to get some ice for his eye. She didn't need to ask where he got it from, the answer was way too obvious. Karen looked over at the kids, but her eyes stayed on Alan. The little boy she took in as her own grandson, who just so happened to be her actual grandson. A tear slipped from her eye, as she sat down in a seat near the children. Her thoughts drifted to her granddaughter that was in surgery at this very moment. She began to pray with all of her might. Nathan looked at Haley, who stood there dumbfounded still. This was defiantly not Haley's day today. With her reaction earlier and now finding this out. Nate didn't know if he should try to comfort her, or just let her be. His dilemma was quickly answered when Haley turned towards him and fell into his chest and began crying uncontrollably. He knew that she would be upset, but this was a bit over the top. He didn't question her though. He just simply pulled her into his arms tightly and held her as she cried.

A good hour passed before Lucas made his way back to the waiting area. His eyes traveled around the room. In one corner sat Rachel and Julian, both with ice on their faces. In another corner sat Nathan and Haley. The petite woman was buried in her husband's chest crying, while he rubbed her back. Lucas looked over to where his mom sat with the children. She looked devastated and heartbroken. No words could describe his feelings right now. As much as he wanted to go over to Julian and just beat the living hell out of him, he didn't. His eyes landed back on Alan. His son. In a sudden quickness, Lucas was over near the kids. He kneeled down and called out to Alan. The young boy turned at the sound of his name being called. When he saw Lucas, he ran straight into Lucas' arms. He wrapped his tiny arms around Lucas' neck and hugged him tightly. Lucas wrapped his arms firmly around the little boy, not wanting to let go. Tears escaped Lucas' eyes as he moved his hand to his son's head and ruffled his hair. Alan pulled back from Lucas' embrace and looked him in the eyes. He wiped away Lucas' tears with his little hands and smiled at him.

"It's ok Lucas." Alan spoke with a smile. "Mommy and Aria will be ok. You want to know how I know?"

"How do you know buddy?" Lucas asked, trying to hold back the fresh tears that wanted to fall.

"Because Mommy says we have an Angel watching over us." Alan pulled out a locket that he wore around his neck and opened it, showing the picture that was inside to Lucas. "This is Uncle Keith, and he went to be with the Angels when Mommy was in high school. So now he looks after us to make sure we don't have to go with the Angels until we are old and wrinkly. Uncle Keith will make sure Mommy and Aria are ok, he's with them right now."

Lucas couldn't hold back his tears anymore as he pulled Alan back into a hug. His tears fell as he shut his eyes. It broke his heart that Keith wasn't there with them, but he knew the little boy was right. That's when he realized who Alan was named after. Keith Alan Scott. Why hadn't he picked up on it sooner. Alan looked identical to Lucas, and he was named after Lucas' uncle. They shared similar interests. Now wasn't the time to beat himself up over that. Now was the time to spend with Alan, and be the father he never got the chance to be. He opened his eyes and looked around the room and noticed that Karen, Nathan, Haley, Rachel, Julian, Lily and Jamie were all staring at them. That didn't matter to him. All that matter right now, was that he was able to hold his son in his arms for the first time knowingly. Now he only prayed that Aria made it through surgery ok, so he could hold her in his arms. He more then anything wanted Brooke to be ok as well, but his feelings centered on his children for now.

**I'm back! Sorry for the long delay in the update and thanks again for the congrats on my marriage. The honeymoon is over, and I'm back to writing for you guys. I hope the sweet Brucas moment made up for this long awaited chapter. You will get more of the reactions in the next chapter. What did you think of this chapter? Let me know what you think. Can't wait to here from all of you wonderful readers! You guys are the best!**


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